Our last promise to bear Xuan
Animals in Labs Article from All-Creatures.org

FROM Four Paws
September 2021

Puncturing confined bears' gallbladders with a sharp needle, to steal their bile for 'herbal medicine,' sometimes caged for 20 years. Xuan lived with love and care for the first time in her life for only a month after being rescued...

A farewell letter to bear Xuan

Dear Xuan,

If we can promise you one more thing, let us promise that you won’t be forgotten.

You could only spend a brief time in our BEAR SANCTUARY Ninh Binh. We fought for you- we fought so hard! But the years of abuse and suffering in a dark basement have taken their toll.

We know that light was something you only experienced when your former owner came to feed you. Or even worse: puncture your gallbladder with a sharp needle, to steal your bile.

It makes our broken heart smile a bit to know that we at least could show you the sun again. Could show you that there is so much more to live than darkness and pain.

In your last months we could give you something you never experienced before. The feeling of joy. The joy when you were cracking open coconuts to reach the delicious inside. Eating the soft inner part of banana tree stems or juicy watermelons, which you loved so much.

At the end, we could at least show you what compassion means. Compassion from our care-takers but also from our supporters. They made your rescue possible. They made you feel the warm rays of sunshine again.

You won’t be forgotten. And neither will we forget your bear-friends who still are living a life full of suffering, as you did. Your death will make us fight even harder to help them. And this, we promise.

With love,

Your caretaker Emily Lloyd

…and the whole FOUR PAWS team 

---

Return to Animals in Labs