http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/index.php http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/rss/RSS_img-01.jpg http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/index.php Copyright 2008, No Author No Author en-US SPHPBLOG 0.4.8 http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry080828-015832
Many of you also asked after our latest batch of bears, so let me give you an update. Of the 28 bears we received at the end of March in China, over half have died - nine of them from liver cancer.

As we bury each bear with love and respect – the only love they have ever known – we console ourselves with the knowledge that in the end, these bears had felt a bond with members of a species who tried so hard to help, rather than hurt, them and who will never stop fighting to end the industry that snuffed out their lives.

The new bears still recovering are not out of the woods by a long chalk, but responding well to surgery, medication and the five-star care of all in our team.

One quite novel introduction into their lives has been the sounds of music. Nic, our Senior Bear Manager recently updated me on the mood of the month as we walked around the quarantine area together. A favourite CD just now is Mozart’s “Concertos for Clarinet, Oboe and Bassoon”. We smiled as Rhonda lay back and breathed in the classical music, with the only thing missing a glass of iced lemonade and a sun hat.

A slightly different mood followed - with The Beatles playing “A Yellow Submarine” and perhaps more pertinently, “The Long and Winding Road” which filled the room with a glorious resonance of calm and good vibes. As the weeks go on, we hear exceptionally positive feedback from Bear Team Leader Xiao Chen and her team - that the bears clearly enjoy the melodic addition to their daily life and routine.

Haribo (previously nicknamed “Poodley”) has beaten all the odds, recovering from a particularly tricky surgery, and just looks - and obviously feels - glorious. The attention-seeking raspberry sounds he made when he first came in are back, heralding a bear in robustly good health. We’re now looking forward to integrating Haribo with his new-found friends in adjacent recovery cages. Bear Manager Donata snapped him yesterday looking as endearing as ever:




One of those friends is George (Chinese nickname “Xiao Howard” after our wonderful Bear Team Supervisor) who is learning some table manners at last before he's released into the great outdoors. Previously, he'd been particularly choosy about food, leaving his zoo pellet diet, but making sure that every last shred of cabbage was sucked from his bowl.

As we told him, any bear that is this choosy is going to be against some serious competition from more "normal" members of this food-motivated and particularly greedy species! That seemed to do the trick and the last bear report simply read "George loves his food, hoovering it up within 5 minutes!" Now that's more like it George.

Egmont (formerly nicknamed “Eyeore”) has bloomed into a healthy, glossy mammoth of a bear. A chunky monkey, she is divine and responding well to major overdoses of good food and tender, loving care.

Gorgeous Wilfred (who we nicknamed “Watermelon” when he arrived) - loves everything about his life. Time and time again, we emphasise that we don't have favourites, but there is something so special about this bear who has wriggled his way into everyone's hearts. Just look at this gentle face (again, snapped by Donata):




Despite his past life, despite the chips being down 24 hours of every day on the farm and despite the fact that he is blind, Wilfred has blossomed into a bear who epitomises the forgiving nature of this remarkable species.





Nothing phases or upsets him, and he wakes to each new day with the calm and interested demeanour of a bear that knows he is protected, respected and very much loved.
]]> http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry080828-015832 No Author Thu, 28 Aug 2008 08:58:32 GMT http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry080826-191247
My heart especially goes out to our Senior Vet, Heather, and the rest of the vet team who tried so hard to save them and also to the bear workers who have nourished them, played with them and showed them such kindness over the past few months.

Irwin will always have a special place in our hearts. He was nicknamed “Hagrid” from the beginning in celebration of the fact that among the dying, skeletal animals we received on the 31st March, here was a large and hairy bear at last! His huge body was crammed into an impossibly small cage.




Irwin had a nasal discharge, which we hoped was a sinus infection that could be treated with antibiotics. Sadly this was not the case. Irwin had a malignant, invasive tumour sitting high inside his nose and spreading, through the bone, towards his brain.

This type of tumour is inoperable and painful, so Irwin was euthanised before his condition could worsen. Irwin’s tumour was confirmed by biopsy after he underwent a CT scan, kindly provided by a local hospital.






Poor Yin Yang too was euthanised after the vet team discovered that her gall bladder had broken away from the fistula created by the farmer, and had stuck to her liver, creating chronic infection, which her body had attempted to contain in abscesses. In Heather’s words:

Unfortunately, the removal of Yin Yang's gall bladder revealed the dirty cotton sutures used in her original crude farm surgery and now stuck to her liver, and exposed the abscesses contained in the mass of inflammatory tissue around her gall bladder. Every effort was made to remove the infected and inflamed tissue and antibiotics were applied, but unfortunately the infection grew stronger spreading from her liver throughout her abdomen and despite extensive nursing and additional surgery, she continued to deteriorate.




Sadly we decided to put Yin Yang to sleep and end her brave struggle, another victim of the dirty and appalling bile farm conditions. Sleep well little bear.

Fifteen of the 28 bears rescued on the last day of March are no longer with us, but we will never forget them – or stop fighting for their cause. Toby (general manager of the rescue centre) and I are now trying to arrange a meeting with Madam Xiong Beirong, the head of the Wildlife Conservation Division of the Sichuan Forestry Department, who visited the sanctuary shortly after the latest rescue. Madam Xiong was visibly moved by the appalling state of the bears, so we will continue to urge her to push for an end to this industry.
]]> http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry080826-191247 No Author Wed, 27 Aug 2008 02:12:47 GMT http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry080820-205745 here or listen to the presentation here.
]]> http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry080820-205745 No Author Thu, 21 Aug 2008 03:57:45 GMT http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry080819-020041
Previously, as the population of strays began to grow, residents were complaining about the noise and the smell, and many took the matter into their own hands by killing the cats.

Enter Xixi Cat volunteers who literally scooped these animals off the streets, and took them to local vet, Dr John Wu, for a quick de-sexing surgery, before releasing them back into the community. So far, 28 neutered cats have been put back on the streets and a recent survey now shows a staggering 96% support for the trap, neuter, release programme from the local residents! Please click here to read more about this fabulous work - showing how cats and the community can live in harmony!





]]> http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry080819-020041 No Author Tue, 19 Aug 2008 09:00:41 GMT http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry080810-162237
But they did us proud - as we knew they would. Dave, Lara, Gill, Mark and James did the walking, with Fiona and Nicky providing the all-important back up and supplies.

Leaving you with Dave's text received at 2am this morning - which said: "Dear Jill, please let Jasper and Eddie know that we did it. Three mountains in three different countries in a total of 23.5 hours. At least 4k on its way to the fluffies. Yippee!"

Brilliant job our UK family from staff and supporters across the globe - no doubt you'll be sleeping for the next 23.5 hours - peacefully I hope; knowing that you've raised profile and much needed funds for Jasper and the bears, Eddie and the dogs and cats, and all the animals who depend on truly remarkable feats like this.

To read the full story, please click here.
]]> http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry080810-162237 No Author Sun, 10 Aug 2008 23:22:37 GMT http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry080810-112137
We seem to have been inundated on site in Chengdu with little kittens to feed. Three more tiny souls arrived recently at just a couple of weeks of age, but screaming at the top of their lungs and demanding attention and food. Huge tribute to our security guards at the bear sanctuary who gently scoop up these cats (and dogs) when they find them outside - sick and hungry animals possibly sensing that help is close by if they can just crawl into our perimeter gates. And of course how can we turn them away?




Once again our team of dedicated nurses, and volunteers (currently Diana and Annie) feeding, cleaning and giving these mites some much-needed tender loving care. With tummies now full and tight as drums after guzzling what must be at least 10 gallons of simulated cats' milk each, these are the lucky ones - gaining health and strength and hopefully a new home soon.

Here, our Bear Manager, Donata, feeds one of the lucky kittens:




]]> http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry080810-112137 No Author Sun, 10 Aug 2008 18:21:37 GMT http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry080808-040000
Our history of celebration will go up on the website early next week so please do take a look.

From the animals, thank you for this past decade – and please find time to raise a glass and a smile of pride to yourselves for being part of the Animals Asia family and part of the positive change for animals everywhere.

Bear hugs and blessings, Jill
]]> http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry080808-040000 No Author Fri, 08 Aug 2008 11:00:00 GMT http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry080806-171556
One of the most satisfying moments is when a newly submitted Dr Dog passes the test - and, at that moment, it seems that the whole world is lit up with joy for both dog and owner.

Marnie, Cassy and I, together with a team of tireless volunteers, tested 20 dogs recently in Hong Kong with a pass rate of just six and one on probation (a beautiful, but slightly exuberant labrador!).

In fact, this pass rate of around 30 per cent is normal. The tests are challenging for both the dogs and owners as we need these potential consultants to be "bomb proof". For example, children in disabled centres and hospital wards can mischievously tweak tails in the blink of an eye and the dogs must prove they have a temperament that can deal with the occasional "surprise".

I'm so sorry for the dogs that fail - most of mine would too. But it doesn't mean we should love them any less - most dogs are just too intelligent to be tweaked and not have at least a little moan or a twitch of the upper lip. Sadly, this would disqualify them from a programme that has been incident-free for 17 years and which firmly puts dogs on the pedestals they deserve.





Once passed, the dogs will be monitored by the Animals Asia team for performance and adaptability to the programme for life. These fully fledged "doctors" will now join our other pioneer therapists visiting centres across Hong Kong (and of course not forgetting the same process in six other countries of Asia where Dr Dog operates!).

*The Bradbury Hospice staff in Hong Kong are fabulous to work with in promoting harmony between people and animals, and stories abound of radiant smiles when the dogs bounce into the patients' rooms. One lady in her mid-thirties, Carmen, in an adult terminal cancer ward adored two dogs so much - Dr Chi Ma Woo and Dr Batt Mui. She often repeated to Marnie and the hospital staff how much they enlightened her life and how she would look forward to their visits - especially when looking forward to the day when she would be fully recovered.

Tragically, it was not to be, and it was so sad to hear recently that she had passed away - but right up to the end she was saying to the nurses how much she loved the presence of the four-legged doctors in her life. This blog is dedicated to Carmen, because it is what Dr Dog is all about - and I'm so proud of our best friends and of Marnie and her team who lead this programme with such passion, sensitivity and dedication.



]]> http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry080806-171556 No Author Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:15:56 GMT http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry080804-204808
And there he was - lying in a cage, skin and bone and, according to the pet shop owner, "worth money if I can find someone to buy him". Our Education Manager Rainbow Zhu moved heaven and earth in persuading the owner to give him up and Richter left the horribly devastated area and came home with us.

Adored by everyone on site at our bear sanctuary, but by no one more than vet nurse, Wendy (who cares for him around the clock and can never be seen far from her little white "shadow"), Richter will make a perfect Dr Dog ambassador once his rickets have healed and he's put on more weight.




Meanwhile the third luckiest dog is Quake. Thrust into our hands by the Chinese Red Cross when we were performing rescue work on the mountain of Anxian, this little pup has continued growing in size and naughtiness and is now looking forward to a new life in Hong Kong with our Marketing Director, Juanita Tom, who fell in love with him at first sight.

These are just some of the dogs we've been able to help - in fact the tally is now up to over 120 dogs and five cats thanking their lucky stars that Animals Asia was in their right place at the right time when disaster struck.









]]> http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry080804-204808 No Author Tue, 05 Aug 2008 03:48:08 GMT http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry080804-084720
We show the suffering and abuse and we state the animals' case - but we are where we are today because we work with the authorities and local communities, not against them. Of course we also work with over 150 Chinese staff and with literally hundreds of thousands of animal lovers supporting our aims - this is a proud and non political time for them all.

If you'd like to learn more about our thought on this issue, please go to our position paper.

]]> http://www.animalsasia.org/blog/index.php?entry=entry080804-084720 No Author Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:47:20 GMT