FOUR PAWS calls on responsible authorities for urgent action after one bear has already died
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| Global animal welfare organization FOUR PAWS says it is “is beyond concerned” for four bears kept in squalid conditions by their private owners in Slovenia.
It says that “despite tireless efforts … to rescue the bears and relocate them to its species-appropriate bear sanctuaries in Europe, the responsible authorities refuse to confiscate the bears.” The creatures have been crammed into small cages in a private zoo and are being used as entertainment next to restaurants for decades. It calls for “quick action: One of the original five bears has recently died after spending over 30 years in a concrete enclosure. “ The remaining four bears are also showing serious health concerns. FOUR PAWS on Monday urged the responsible Slovenian authorities to act and give the bears a second chance at a better life. “It is a scandal that the EU country of Slovenia is allowing animals to vegetate like this. The bears have been living in small cages for decades, on bare concrete, without protection from the weather or adequate food and medical care. Despite our tireless efforts, the authorities have been stalling for a long time. Even after the death of one of the bears, they continue to do nothing. The animals are in really bad shape – we must finally get them out,” says Patricia Tiplea, Head of the Wild Animal Rescue and Advocacy unit at FOUR PAWS. Three of the bears live in cages at restaurants, one in a private zoo. The bears’ teeth are in a disastrous state, which must cause the animals massive pain. They also exhibit stereotypical behavior such as pacing or biting at the cage bars. Veterinarian Julia Bohner from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) visited them in summer 2023 together with FOUR PAWS and made an alarming diagnosis: “I urgently recommend that the bears are relocated to a species-appropriate home to prevent further physical and psychological damage,” says Bohner. Bear Felix: A sad ending to a sad life The deceased 33-year-old bear Felix lived together with the 34-year-old female bear Masha at Gostilna Tušek restaurant and hotel in Kocevje. “When we visited, the animals had no drinking water and the two small pools in the enclosure were empty. The floor was littered with feces, indicating that the enclosure had not been cleaned for at least ten days. Apart from a tree trunk, there was no activity to engage with for the bears. Both animals were apathetic and barely responded to stimulation. Now Felix has died in his concrete cage – what a sad ending to a sad life,” says Tiplea. Since 2004, it has been illegal for private individuals in Slovenia to keep bears that have been taken from the wild. However, owners who acquired their animals before 2004 and could no longer release them into the wild were able to obtain a permit to keep them from the responsible Ministry. This exemption also applies following an amendment to the Animal Welfare Act, which came into force in April 2023 and also prohibits the keeping of bears born in captivity. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food’s Food Safety, Veterinary and Plant Protection Authority is responsible for the health and welfare of the bears while the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning is responsible for husbandry conditions. According to Slovenian law, bears must have access to:
“During both on-site visits, we found that none of the owners were keeping the bears in accordance with the law. That alone should alert the authorities. We are now trying to mobilize the public so that they finally get their act together. The bears urgently need our help,” Tiplea said.
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