As part of their Great Bear Rescue project, the International Animal Rescue (IAR) teamed up with the Federation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) to rescue two caged brown bears kept in confinement by a restaurant in Yerevan, Armenia.
The two bears, Misha (male) and Dasha (female), were kept as a tourist attraction and were living in a small rusty cage that was partially underwater at the restaurant's riverside location.
According to the IAR, the bears "...would spend their days pacing to and fro in boredom and frustration or climbing up the bars of the cage in a desperate attempt to escape from their iron prison."
The mission was carried out with the cooperation of the restaurant owner and full support of the Armenian government. Armenian Emergency Rescue services also assisted and cut through the bars to set the bears free.
The bears were handled with care, tranquilized and transported to a new location where they will receive veterinary treatment.
This isn't the end of the Great Bear Rescue Project; the IAR plans to continue with what they're referring to as a 'mercy mission' to help over 80 suffering bears in Armenia.
And we needn't doubt the IAR's efforts, as they have quite the history of accomplishments when it comes to bears. The IAR partnered with Wildlife SOS on a special mission in 2002, following the banning of 'bear dancing' in India. In the practice of bear dancing, bears were mutilated and painfully forced to dance for entertainment. The two organizations successfully rescued and transported over 620 bears from those torturous environments to sanctuaries of freedom and peace, marking the end of the cruel practice in India for good.
As for Misha and Dasha, they also have a bright future ahead of them as they start their new lives in a sanctuary high up in the mountains. Want More Bear Happiness? Follow this link to One Green Planet's '5 Adorable Videos of Rescued Bears'
Want To Help?
Follow this link to learn more about the Great Bear Rescue
(Image Source: International Animal Rescue)
