Four Paws team arrives in Pakistan to support bears rescued from human captivity

KARACHI: A team of wildlife experts from a leading international animal welfare organization arrived in Islamabad on Friday to help eight dancing and baiting bears rescued by local authorities in Pakistan and discuss the possibility of saving and relocating more such animals.
Founded in 1988 in Vienna, Four Paws operates globally with various projects aimed at improving conditions for animals in captivity, rescuing animals from crisis and conflict zones, and promoting humane treatment of wildlife, pets and farm animals.
Its team of experts arrived in Pakistan in response to an urgent request by the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board to support the local authorities with the veterinary treatment and neutering of the eight bears.
“It is crucial to assess the health of all bears and our priority to neuter them to prevent unwanted breeding,” Four Paws veterinarian Dr. Amir Khalil, who is leading the action in the country, said in a statement. “That way we can ensure ethical wildlife management going forward.”
“We are grateful for the trust of the Pakistani authorities in our expertise and committed to improve the lives of as many bears as possible,” he added. “We will also support the preparation of enclosures for the new arrivals at the rescue center and ensure proper care for all animals going forward.”
The organization’s president and CEO, Josef Pfabigan, also pointed out Four Paws had witnessed the suffering of bears used for human entertainment in its decades of work.
“Four Paws welcomes the action the Pakistani government is taking against such cruel practices, and we are happy to work together on this important cause,” he said. “With our successful collaboration Four Paws aims to find sustainable long-term solutions for the animals and help law enforcement to effectively put an end to the illegal practices of dancing bears and bear baiting in Pakistan.”
Bear baiting continues to be a reality in the country where these animals are subjected to fights against trained dogs for entertainment, though the practice has long been declared as illegal.
These fights inflict severe physical and psychological trauma on bears, often resulting in broken teeth, pierced snouts and the removal of claws.
Dancing bears are captive or bred bears forced to perform tricks for entertainment. Their training methods include painful measures like hot metal plates and metal rings through sensitive noses and jaws, allowing owners to exert control over the bears.
Bear dancing and bear baiting are age-old traditions in the region, introduced to the local society as a sport by the British.
Four Paws has previously engaged in efforts to improve the conditions of elephants in captivity in Pakistan.
Most notably, the organization worked on the case of Kaavan, an elephant kept in Islamabad Zoo, who was dubbed the “world’s loneliest elephant.”
Four Paws led a high-profile campaign for his relocation to a sanctuary in Cambodia, which was successfully completed in late 2020.