MARCH 5, 2025 – An emergency response team from FOUR PAWS is currently on-site in Pakistan to support the rescue and relocation of bears in illegally captivity. The global animal welfare organization meet with the Advisor to the Prime Minister of Change and Environment on March 3^rd and received information about female bear that had been abruptly confiscation by authorities.

For Sunny, the three-year-old bear, formerly used as a tourist attraction known as a “dancing bear”, a new life is so close. After arranging travel documents, medication, and supplies for the trip, the team headed out for a challenging nearly 250-mile night-time journey through villages and badly kept country roads, heavy rains and thunderstorms. After 15 hours, they arrived at the temporary location where Sunny was kept, provided first aid, and set about returning to Islamabad to bring the young bear to her new home at the IWMB Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre. The FOUR PAWS team had the honor to pick a name for the bear: As she is very cooperative, calm and lovely, she received the name “Sunny”, for her sunny disposition (despite what she has been through).

Dancing bears are captive or bred bears forced to perform tricks for entertainment. Training methods include painful measures like hot metal plates and metal rings through sensitive noses and jaws, allowing owners to exert control over the bears.

Earlier this week, FOUR PAWS also supported the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) with another rescue and relocation of seven-year-old bear Rocky, who had been severely abused as a baiting bear to fight dogs. FOUR PAWS continues its support of the Pakistani government in ending the cruel keeping of bears for entertainment like dancing or baiting. 

• More information about the rescue of bear Rocky can be found here
• More information about the efforts of FOUR PAWS to help bears in Pakistan can be found here