Rescuers Free A Circus Bear From Her Life In A ‘Tiny Cage’ In A Garage
No animal deserves to be locked up in a tiny cage. Unfortunately for Jambolina, an 11-year-old bear, he’d been living a good portion of her life inside a “tiny cage.”
Jambolina had been a circus bear. But thankfully, things have taken a turn for the better as she is getting a new start in life.
The international animal welfare organization, Four Paws, has given Jambolina a new life by leaving the shackles of her home in Ukraine and moving her to a bear sanctuary in Switzerland. Four Paws freed the bear from her previous owner’s garage, where she had been locked up for four months after all circuses had been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both Four Paws and the Arosa Bear Sanctuary worked together in order to get Jambolina on a four-day journey that would take her from the Ukraine all the way to Switzerland by passing through Poland, Germany, and Austria. It wasn’t easy getting a bear across four national and two EU borders – and the task seemed even more difficult since there is a global pandemic at the moment.
But as Barbara van Genne, who works for Wild Animal Rescue and Advocacy at Four Paws, shared, “We had to ensure Jambolina’s wellbeing at all times while a lot of paperwork and controls were needed for the logistical part of the transfer.”
But the hard work was well worth it when they finally got Jambolina into Switzerland. However, there was still the task of getting her to the Arosa Bear Sanctuary, which required the assistance of an aerial cable car. But once she arrived, she settled in quite nicely to her new home.
Van Genne had commented on the bear’s previous living conditions in the Ukraine, which were horrific and had taken a toll on her health. According to News Week, a spokesperson for Four Paws International, Katharina Braun, shared that the poor bear’s previous living arrangement had left her unable to properly stand up or even move around. It was definitely not appropriate for such a large animal.
Speaking to Newsweek, Van Genne shared, “Her teeth are in bad condition and her claws need further examination. For the time being, she will remain in an adaption enclosure so that the team of animal caretakers can observe her. Through targeted food distribution, she will be accustomed to the rhythm of hibernation and hopefully regain her natural instincts.”
The Arosa Bear Sanctuary was opened back in the summer of 2018. In 2019, the sanctuary took in two 14-year-old bears named Amelia and Meimo. The president of the Arosa Bears Foundation, Pascal Jenny, was grateful to Four Paws for the help they provided the sanctuary.
According to PEOPLE, speaking of their sanctuary, Jenny shared that they feels honored to be able to provide Jambolina with a comfortable place to call home – a fresh start that she so desperately deserves.
So far, Jambolina seems to be enjoying her new life. She has plenty of space to play, a lot of snacks to enjoy, and a caring team of professionals to aid in her recovery from her circus life.
Thank you to Four Paws and the Arosa Bears Foundation! 2020 has been a crazy year, but at least there are some positive things to come from it.
Source: blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com
