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Save our bears

Jasper (caged bear) with Jill Robinson MBE, CEO and founder of Animals Asia Foundation in Hong Kong. PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANIMALS ASIA FOUNDATION

Animals Taiwan is a Taipei-based animal welfare association that defines itself as a collection of local and foreign residents whose hobby it is to rescue stray animals and sponsor other likeminded organizations in Taiwan and abroad. This Sunday their mission is to raise NT$20,000 from a quiz night at Citizen Cain. The recipient of their fundraiser will be an Asiatic Black Bear rescued from a bile farm in China.

China Bear Rescue was launched in 1993 by Hong Kong-based foundation, Animals Asia (AAF). The foundation's founder, Jill Robinson MBE, began her campaign after witnessing bears being incarcerated in wire cages with metal catheters implanted in their abdomens through which bile was extracted. The bile is for use in traditional medicine that is replaceable by cheaper herbs and synthetics.

In June 2000, an agreement was signed with Chinese officials to rescue 500 bears, with the long-term goal of ending the practice altogether. Since then, AAF has with the Chinese government confiscated 185 bears and is treating them in a sanctuary in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

Japser spent 15 years in a cage before being rescured by Animals Asia Foundation. He now lives in a bear sanctuary in Sichuan province, China.

To help ease some of the financial burden, Animals Taiwan has pledged to raise enough cash from the quiz night to feed one bear for one year (the equivalent of NT$20,000). To reach their goal, a NT$300 entrance fee has been set and teams will be made up of six entrants.

Teams are advised to call the

restaurant in advance to reserve their tables, but singles are also welcome to join on the night. There is no cover charge to watch, but everyone is requested to part with a small donation. The quiz will run from 5pm to 8pm with food and drink specials on offer all evening.

Companies or individuals interested in donating prizes for this event or for details on the fundraising activities of Animals Taiwan can contact the foundation by sending an email to Sean McCormack at sean@animalstaiwan.org. For more information on the China Bear Rescue or AAF check their Web site at http://www.animalsasia.org. Citizen Cain is located at 67, Dongfeng St, Taipei (台北市東豐街 67 號). Telephone (02) 2708 4557.

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