Since 1992 Gheorghe Cilan has been illegally keeping brown bears in a 40 square-metre rusty shack at his property in Fântânele, 10 km from Arad, Romania.

In 2009 it became apparent that he was breeding and selling bear cubs, advertising them in the local press and on the internet, although possession, breeding and selling of wild animals is prohibited by law in Romania. One advert read ''Selling Carpathian bear cubs, three months old, male, fourth generation in captivity, raised and cared for in the house in exceptional conditions''

Romanian animal welfare organisation AMP have been campaigning for four years to have the bear breeding farm closed down and finally the Court of Arad have approved the criminal prosecution of Gheorghe Cilan for illegal possession of wild animals, a first for the Romanian justice system.

Now we need YOUR help to ensure the authorities shut this breeding farm down permanently and confiscate the seven bears currently caged on the property and permit their transfer to Libearty Bear Sanctuary, Zarnesti, where they will spend the rest of their lives in peace in the forest enclosures.