We are delighted to update you with the news that we have successfully rescued the three bears being held captive at the Ashtaraki Dzor Restaurant. They have been rushed to our centre in the mountains where they are currently in quarantine receiving expert medical treatment. Please donate to cover the costs of this emergency rescue: https://www.internationalanimalrescue.org/urgent-bear-rescues The emergency rescue operation was mounted with our Armenian partners FPWC. The three bears were being kept as a tourist attraction at a restaurant, which has now been closed down as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The restaurant owner claimed he no longer had any use for the bears and could not afford to feed them. We believe this rescue to be the first of many as more and more closed restaurants across Armeina want to ‘get rid’ of their bears. The three bears, a female of 20 years old and her two five year old sons, have arrived safely at the sanctuary in the mountains where they are currently in quarantine receiving expert care. We believe there are likely to be at least 40 more bears in need of urgent rescue and we have already been inundated with requests from restaurant owners, wanting to surrender their captive bears. Our rescue centre is close to capacity, so we are now working quickly to expand the facilities. We are relying on public donations are this time. To keep updated on their rehabilitation, in addition to our other animal rescue projects, please sign up to our email mailing list: https://www.internationalanimalrescue.org/newsletter-sign-up