2 Bears Kept in Small Cages by Riverside Restaurant Get Rescued!

International Animal Rescue (IAR) recently announced its Great Bear Rescue project, a mission aiming to rescue up to 80 bears kept captive in shocking conditions in Armenia. Now, thanks to the organization’s efforts and the supporters’ generous donations, the first two rescues as part of the project have already taken place! Two brown bears, Dasha and Misha, were rescued from a riverside restaurant in Yerevan and are now beginning their entirely new lives – in a new sanctuary in the mountains.

The rescue mission was carried out alongside IAR’s partners, Federation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) with the full Support of the Armenian government. The bears, Dasha, a female, and Misha, male, were kept in a small cage that was half-submerged in water by a riverside restaurant, their purpose was to serve as a tourist attraction.

Unbearably bored and frustrated, Dasha and Misha spent their days pacing or climbing up the bars of the cage, trying to escape.

To set the bears free, their cage was cut through by members of the Armenian Emergency Rescue services. Afterwards, the animals were tranquilized by the vets in order to be prepared for their journey.

The bears were put into transport cages and taken by truck to a sanctuary. Once in their new home, Dasha and Misha will be given time to acclimatize before being given their thorough veterinary assessment.

The bears’ rescue was a dedicated team effort – as Alan Knight, IAR’s CEO, said, even the restaurant owners cooperated with the rescuers.

“These are only the first,” Knight stated, “Our Great Bear Rescue intends to free many more.”

Thanks to the work of these incredible organizations, Dasha and Misha are about to begin their new lives in a place where they will finally be able to exert their natural behavior and live in suitable conditions. There are still dozens more bears like this pair all across Armenia – and they all deserve a chance to have a normal life, to be cared for and respected as living beings. To help set them free, you can make a donation to the Great Bear Rescue through the project’s website.

To learn more about the Great Bear Rescue, click here.

All image source: International Animal Rescue/Facebook