Four paws warn

Bears are kept in torturous conditions as pets

Symbolic image

(Bild: P. Huber)

For four years now, the animal welfare organization "Vier Pfoten" has been fighting for four bears that are being kept in "appalling conditions" by private owners in Slovenia. And yet it has still not been possible to bring them to the Arbesbach Bear Park in the Waldviertel.

Although the legal requirements are not being adhered to and the animals are being kept in anything but species-appropriate conditions, the authorities have so far remained inactive, the animal rights activists complain.

Moreover, one of the original five bears recently died and the remaining four were also in serious health problems, a veterinarian found during a visit to the site. "It is a scandal that the EU country of Slovenia is allowing animals to languish like this," criticized Four Paws Director Eva Rosenberg on Monday. The bears have been living for decades in cramped cages, on bare concrete, without protection from the weather, without adequate food or medical care. "We must finally get them out."

Condition of the bears is alarming
Three of the bears are housed in cages at restaurants, one in a private zoo. The animals' teeth are in a disastrous condition, which must be causing massive pain. They also exhibit stereotypical behavior. Last year, veterinarian Julia Bohner from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research made an alarming diagnosis: "I urgently recommend that the bears be taken to a species-appropriate protection center to prevent further physical and psychological damage."

Bear keeping is actually no longer a private matter
Since 2004, private individuals have actually been banned from keeping bears in Slovenia, although (former) owners were granted a permit as a transitional arrangement. The law provides for an outdoor enclosure of 150 square meters per bear and 20 square meters for each additional bear. There is also an indoor enclosure and a pool. In addition to fresh food, including fish, meat, fruit and vegetables, there should be a structured enclosure with a natural floor and climbing facilities. "During both visits, we found that none of the owners were keeping the bears in accordance with the law. That alone should call the authorities to the scene," said Rosenberg.