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Alfie and Rosie - Hidden in the Dark

Frequency
Amount
could help pay for soft bedding to soothe their aches and pains
could go towards the costly transportation bill after every rescue
could pay for the emergency medical care these bears desperately need after so many years in captivity
Amount
could provide the bears with a healthy meal once they reach our rescue centre
could provide a fully stocked first aid kit for a rescue
could help keep Alfie and Rosie safe and comfortable after the harsh conditions they have suffered

Introduction

Behind large wooden barn doors secured with heavy metal chains, these two cubs were frantically pacing up and down and clawing at the walls trying to find a way out. Their frenzied digging was threatening to bring the building crashing down on them!

Their mother was killed by hunters and the two hungry little cubs wandered close to a military base in search of food. The soldiers took pity on them and gave them food and water. Over time, the little cubs came to rely on the soldiers completely - they were losing all the natural instincts that would keep them safe in the wild. With the bears’ best interests at heart, the soldiers entrusted them to a local man who promised to release the young bears back into the Armenian countryside. Instead, the man locked them up in a pitch dark derelict building. There was nowhere comfortable for these two little bears to lie down and rest. No food or water in sight. Just darkness. The rescue of Alfie and Rosie, two terrified young bear cubs, will be forever imprinted in our memory.

Alfie and Rosie being sedated
Shocking rescue of Alfie and Rosie

It’s incredibly moving that animals like Alfie and Rosie can still be so trusting after enduring horrible cruelty and neglect. Thankfully, these two will be safe for the rest of their days and treated with all the kindness they deserve. But theirs is just one of many horrendous stories. Every year, wild bears are illegally caught or trapped by poachers in Armenia. Once captured, they end up in small squalid cages in restaurants, bus depots and dark cellars. Through our Great Bear Rescue campaign, we are working with our partners FPWC to help end this illegal practice and free these beautiful bears. And while we have already freed more than 30 bears, there are many others still waiting for our help.

You are a vital part of our rescue team and your tireless support makes the world a better place for suffering animals. We won’t give up until they are all free and it’s only with people like you by our side that we can hope to succeed.