Global animal welfare organization FOUR PAWS has successfully rescued the last so-called ‘restaurant bear’ in Albania who was kept in cramped conditions, exposed to the elements and unable to hibernate. 
Mark, who is 24, is currently on the way to his new home in Arbesbach, and is scheduled to arrive this weekend. The brown bear was kept as a tourist attraction next to a restaurant in the Albanian capital, Tirana for over 20 years. He suffered two decades in a tiny cage with concrete floors, unable to live out any natural behaviors and urgently needs proper care. Bears in Albania are still in danger of being abused as pets or tourist attractions in the future without a change in legislation. Big cats are also illegally traded and are neglected by private owners. FOUR PAWS is calling for a ban on the private keeping of bears and big cats, a local, species-appropriate sanctuary for confiscated wild animals as well as legal measures to combat the growing illegal wildlife trade. Mark was sedated and freed Mark from his cage followed by a medical check. He is now en route to his new home. He was kept in a cramped cage and exposed to heat and extreme weather conditions and had no place to retreat, He has never been able to hibernate either. The restaurant owner handed Mark into the care of FOUR PAWS voluntarily and has agreed in writing that no bears will ever suffer at the restaurant again. “Mark spent more than 20 years in a barren cage that is much too small and lacks materials to keep him busy and stimulated. Due to boredom and stress, he displays abnormal behaviors, including repetitive pacing and biting on the metal bars of his cage. ” „He is severely overweight, his teeth are partially broken, and the way he moves indicates that he needs further examination and treatment. Soon our team in Arbesbach will provide Mark with necessary veterinary treatments, proper care and species-appropriate food so he can hopefully recover and enjoy a bear-worthy life,” said Magdalena Scherk-Trettin, who coordinates FOUR PAWS wild animal rescue and advocacy projects.  BEAR SANCTUARY Arbesbach provides rescued bears a life-long home in a near-natural habitat since 1998. It was the first FOUR PAWS bear and was expanded in 2009. Mark is the first new arrival at the sanctuary since 2015. There will be four bears re living on more than 14,000 m². It offers space for the bears to express their natural behaviors, like bathing, digging, roaming, climbing and retiring in caves, either to hide and snooze, or hibernate in the winter.
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