I am trying to raise funds for a Romanian trekking adventure in September. The money raised goes help the WSPA’s efforts to rescue many bears that are in captivity in Romania and many other countries.

Bears are taken from the wild as cubs and mistreated from early life. They are used in bear farms, confined into tiny cages so that bile can be extracted from their gall bladders and sold for use in traditional Asian medicine. The methods used to take the bile are inhumane and cause the bear severe pain and trauma. There are more than 12,000 bears suffering conditions like these in Asia’s bear farms, right now.

Bears are used in bear baiting which is one of the world’s most savage blood sports. People will watch a tethered and clawless bear being attacked by trained fighting dogs, the WSPA is working incredibly hard to stop this and with your help they are more likely to succeed.

Bears are also being made to “dance” for audiences and suffering incredible pain. Each young bear will suffer their nose or palate being pierced and then a rope being passed through the wound, tugging on it creates enough pain to ensure the bear is submissive, and in this way it’s “trained” to dance. They are suffering a lifetime of physical and mental distress.

Many of the captured bears are kept in awful conditions, in tiny cages they can barely move in, and fed only enough to survive, mostly bread and scraps fed to them by passersby.

Rescued and confiscated bears may be unable to adapt to life in the wild, so the best option for these animals is a forested sanctuary where they can behave as naturally as possible. To provide places like this the WSPA has worked with governments in India, Pakistan, Greece, Laos, Hungary, Thailand, Turkey and more recently in Romania.

It is for these reasons that I’m trying to help fund this vital work, and doing a 50km walk in Romania. Reaching the minimum amount of sponsorship money will allow me the privilege of visiting the newly built sanctuary in Romania, to see the results the WSPA are working so hard to achieve. It would mean a lot to me if you would please donate as much as you can to this cause, even £1 would be very much appreciated. WSPA is working all over the world to help many different animals from lives of incredible suffering, and your donations would really help. Thank you very much for reading J

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: World Society For The Protection Of Animals gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

So please sponsor me now!