Kerri-Anne’s Hope for Bears
Apr 11, 2011
This week popular entertainer and animal lover, Kerri-Anne Kennerley launched Hope for Bears - an appeal to raise funds for our work to end bear baiting in rural Pakistan, and rescue the around 70 bears still trapped in this cruelty.
Kerri-Anne said, “When I heard about Chowti, I simply had no choice but to become involved.”
Blind in both eyes, 6 year old Chowti spent more than four years being tied up in front of a crowd of thousands, left unable to defend herself, while trained dogs were set upon her for ‘entertainment.’
“Now I’ve been in the entertainment industry for over 30 years and let me tell you, this is not entertainment,” Kerri-Anne said.
Chowti is one of the lucky ones. Her story doesn’t end there. In fact her real life is only just beginning in Balkasar Sanctuary. She still moves uncertainly around her new enclosure. The wounds from her previous life are finally beginning to heal, but with no sight to guide her she relies heavily on her sense of smell to explore and familiarise herself with her new home. But she is safe now, well-fed and well-cared for.
Just one part of a big solution
© WSPA
Rescuing bears trapped in this cruelty is just one part of our work. In order to make a long-term difference for bears like Chowti we are committed to ending bear baiting for good. How?
By monitoring the bears still trapped and stopping the events they’re used for.
By working to strengthen enforcement and educate the community.
By working with bear owners to adopt cruelty-free ways of making a living – an important step in breaking the cycle of cruelty, preventing the further poaching of cubs from the wild.
And of course, by rescuing and providing lifetime care for all traumatised bears who are victims of this ‘entertainment’.
Our hope for bears like Chowti is for a safe future, through an end to the cruelty of bear baiting once and for all. But we need your help.
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