Around 50 bears are forced to live in tiny cages in Albania. They are used as tourist attractions and as photographic props. Nearly all of these bears began their lives in the wild and have been captured illegally. They now live their lives in chains.
Although bears are protected by both Albanian and International Law, the trade of bears and cubs in Albania is still flourishing. Please help the saddest bears in Europe and ask the Albanian Ministry of Environment to implement and enforce a ban on keeping bears in captivity!
FOUR PAWS aims to tackle this problem in cooperation with the Albanian Ministry of Environment and fights for stricter law enforcement and a legal ban on all cruel forms of bear confinement.
Help us to stop the illegal capture and exploitation of bears in Albania and encourage the Albanian Minister of Environment to implement and enforce an end to this cruel practice!
Dear Minister Koka,
Today a large number of captive brown bears are suffering in captivity in Albania. The animals are illegally captured from the wild and are exploited as tourist attractions at restaurants, for entertainment purposes on beaches or in private keeping.
As an EU accession country and aspiring international tourist destination, Albania has an opportunity to present themselves positively by consequently tackling the suffering of bears in captivity and protecting them in the wild. Therefore, I ask you for strict enforcement of existing legislation to protect bears and a legal ban on all forms of bear keeping.
Please stand up for captive bears and show that Albania is an exemplary EU candidate country which takes animal welfare and conservation seriously, and is a responsible tourism destination where cruelty towards animals has no place!
[Your comments]
Yours faithfully,
[Your name]
