At the end of February 2025, FOUR PAWS received an urgent call from the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) to support with the rescue and treatment of a seven-year-old male Asiatic black bear.

The confiscated bear was found bleeding from his nose, ears, eyes and back due to the cruel practice of bear baiting. His seven years of life consisted of a miserable existence, confined to ropes and chains as trained dogs were sent to attack him, as the crowd roared watching this abuse for entertainment. The poor bear was forced to defend himself for his survival as part of this vicious and inhumane blood sport.

To this day, despite the practice being illegal, bear baiting remains a distressing reality in which bears are subjected to cruel fights against trained dogs for entertainment. The practice inflicts severe physical and psychological trauma on the bears, including the removal or cutting of the bears teeth to avoid severe injuries of the dogs and humans. This is normally done at a young age without anesthesia, and we often find old jaw factures demonstrating how forcibly the teeth are removed. Other abuse includes the filing down or complete removal of the bear's claws to also give them less of an advantage during a fight. Hot metal rings are also pierced through their sensitive noses and jaws, in order to hook through a ring on which to attach rope to exert further control over the bear. 

In Pakistan, bear dancing and bear baiting were introduced to the local society as a sport by the British. The responsible Pakistani authorities have been taking vigorous action against the cruel practice, ensuring the arrest and penalties for anyone found to be involved in tormenting the bear. Sadly, in the province of Punjab an increasing number of incidents have been reported and while the exact number of illegally held bears in Punjab is hard to determine, it's estimated at perhaps several dozen to over a hundred.

In April 2024, FOUR PAWS experts traveled to IWMB Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Islamabad to help with the treatment of eight resident former dancing and baiting bears who had been rescued. Additionally, the team supported the local authorities with the rescue and relocation of bears Laila and Boogie, who had been kept in chains and abused for baiting as well – both bears were in bad condition at the time of their rescue but have recovered since.

Rocky was in very bad shape when we rescued him, badly injured, with bleeding from his eyes, nose, and ears. He has severe wounds on his back and was in shock, which was exemplified by his constantly shaking. The team were informed that he had been subjected to a sickening 35 fights, and named him 'Rocky' in acknowledgement of his resilience.

So far, the FOUR PAWS team have anesthetized Rocky and carried out a veterinary assessment and urgent treatment. All of Rocky's teeth had previously been removed in order to not injure the dogs severely during fights — an unfair and cruel act, which is done without anesthesia. The team treated the wounds in his mouth, tongue, and ears that had been caused by dog bites and removed the nose ring and the chains around his neck, a poignant moment that marked his freedom and retirement as baiting bear forever.

Rocky is currently doing well and is recovering from the surgery with the proper pain medication and antibiotics to best support his recovery. A specialized dietary plan is in preparation to be handed over to the IWMB Team to ensure appropriate diet as he is unable to chew due as all of his teeth were removed in his past to not injure the dogs severely during fights.