BAN BARBARIC BEAR BAITING IN PAKISTAN AND SOUTH CAROLINA

PAKISTAN & SOUTH CAROLINA IT IS TIME TO STEP UP & FREE THESE SUFFERING BEARS FROM THE HORROR THAT IS THEIR LIVES.

Barbaric bear-baiting has been illegal in Pakistan for more than 100 years.

However, Pakistan wildlife expert Inayat Chaudry undertook a survey in 1993 which uncovered evidence of 80 different contests involving 300 bears! He uncovered a network of hunters, wildlife dealers, gypsy bear owners and land owners which had enabled bear baiting to continue to thrive. In all, Chaudry identified 2,400 separate fights at the many different contests, all of which took place between December and March.
Bear-baiting ("Bear Baying") is known to be continuing in at least two countries of the world: Pakistan - mainly taking place in the provinces of Sindh and Punja and South Carolina.

Bear-baiting involves trained fighting dogs (most commonly pit bull terriers) being pitted against a tethered bear. Typically three or four dogs will be set against a single bear. The bear’s claws and some or all of its teeth will have been removed, usually without the use of an anesthetic. In both Pakistan and the USA the proceedings at an "event" will be much the same. There is a loud, shouting, cheering crowd many of whom will have placed bets on the outcome of each round of a fight. There is the terrified, maimed and tethered bear who has no chance of escape, and there are the dogs, bred and trained for their ferocity. It should be noted that the dogs are victims in this to, they have no option as they have to do what they are trained to do. When their useful fighting life is over the dogs will be destroyed, these animals can never become household pets. The dogs are released into the arena or pen and jump at the bear, biting and trying to pull it to the ground. Bears often suffer horrific injuries, particularly to their noses, snouts and mouths. Dogs are also injured but not usually as seriously as the bears. Both animals have relatively short lives with bears succumbing to the continuous toll of injuries and poor living conditions.

Bear-baiting was introduced in Southern Asia by British colonisers in the 18th century. “Cruelty to animals is against the teachings of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad and, technically at least, against the 1890 Pakistan Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. Despite this the practice continues, most commonly in the provinces of Sindh and Punjab in the winter months. Events range from one bear and few dogs to ten or more bears and more than forty dogs. Evidence suggests that the practice may be increasing with the law only enforced weakly. In Pakistan the WSPA reports that fights last for three rounds, the number of spectators can number several thousand!”

http://www.occupyforanimals.net/bear-baiting-in-pakistan.html

http://www.worldanimalprotection.org/our-work/animals-wild/ending-bear-baiting

http://www.bearconservation.org.uk/page95.html

February 25, 2015 saw the announcement of a new law in the Sindh province of Pakistan, banning the use of bears for entertainment. The new law is a major step forward in protecting bears in Pakistan – making it illegal to keep and use bears for baiting, dancing, begging, or in circuses.
The events are all organised with the full backing of local authorities and dignitaries, largely because the keenest promoters of the fights are rural landlords who wield huge power in Pakistan. They own and train pit bull terriers and gain prestige from having the most ferocious animals. The bears are owned by a gypsy group, known as Kalandars, who specialize in training animals. The gypsies are paid by the landlords to bring the bears to the contests. The wealthy landlords who organise these events are powerful, corrupt and difficult to prosecute. (The Kalandar of India are recognised by the Indian Government as an economically deprived tribe.)

WSPA has been working tirelessly over the last few years with their colleagues in Pakistan to stop this despicable cruelty. For the first time ever, bear-baiting is in decline. Although bear-baiting was banned in Pakistan in 1980 by the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, it continues to prevail in deeply rural tribal regions.
The Kund Bear Sanctuary was set up in the year 2000 near the northern Pakistani city of Peshawar to provide a safe haven for baited bears that were confiscated from their owners. In the summer of 2010 a massive flood hit the region resulting in 20 out of the 23 rescued bears drowning. The three surviving bears have been relocated to a new shelter in the northern part of Punjab, where there is no risk of flooding.

http://observers.france24.com/en/20110308-pakistani-landlord-idea-fun-pitting-dogs-against-bears-bear-baiting

Dr. Fakhar-I-Abbas, a Pakistani zoologist is at the forefront of efforts to halt bear-baiting in the country. Three types of action are being used to try to eradicate bear-baiting in Pakistan. The first is appealing directly to landlords to convince them to stop organising the events, over the past 10 years, over 80% of the landlords we spoke to agreed not to organise such events any more. The second approach is visiting mosques in regions where the practice exists and speaking to imams. We refer to Islamist teachings that condemn cruelty to animals, and ask them to denounce bear baiting in their Friday sermons, to help make the general public aware that the practice goes against their religion. Finally, representatives in villages where the events take place alert when a bear-baiting event is organised so that authorities can be warned. This has led to several successful raids during major bear-baiting events in recent years. “In some areas, the warlords are so powerful that they control the entire law enforcement apparatus. In these cases, police intervention is all but impossible.”

http://www.worldanimalprotection.org/news/new-law-major-step-forward-protecting-bears-pakistan

“In the USA an undercover team from the Humane Society witnessed a baiting session which lasted for over four hours and during which a bear faced a total of almost 300 dogs. In the USA hundreds of spectators watch each event. Commonly known as "bear baying" in the United States the practice still takes place illegally in some states. It is still legal in South Carolina to "bay" bears but the practice was effectively ended when in 2013 the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources indicated it would not issue any new permits for the private possession of black bears. Six bears that had been used in "baying" competitions in South Carolina were moved to the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado in October 2013.” (Efforts to legislate against it continue to fail.)

http://www.humanesociety.org/news/press_releases/2013/10/victory-announced-to-end-bear-baying-10-11-13.html?referrer=http://www.bearconservation.org.uk/page95.html

April 4, 2015     excerpt – please click on link to read more

https://aminals.org/category/bear-rights-in-pakistan/

A Flawed Notification of the Sindh Wildlife Department is Unlikely to Help the Bears   

“.....In January 2015, following the January 5 raid on the bear baiting event in Ghotki, AMINALS brought to the attention of the Sindh Wildlife Department that Sindh Wildlife Protection Ordinance, 1972 only applied to Game Animals and Protected Animals as defined in it and as listed in the two schedules to the Ordinance. Unfortunately, bears were not included in this listing.

The Wildlife Department was requested to issue a notification under section 40 of the Ordinance adding the following under clause 5 of the Second Schedule to cover bears under the Ordinance and to enable your Department to take action under the Ordinance in all such future raids or actions:

Asiatic Black Bear                Ursus Thibetanus Synonym Selenarctos Thibetanus

Himalayan Black Bear        Ursus Arctos

The Sindh Wildlife officials kindly responded to the request but the steps taken by the Department are legally not tangible....”

“....In February the Department issued a notification under section 40(i) of the Ordinance covering the above two categories of bears but also mentioned a few rules therein. Firstly, there is no sub-clause to section 40; and section 40 of the Ordinance does not empower the Government to enact rules. The brief rules made it illegal to keep and use bears for baiting, dancing, begging, or in circuses.

The notification was a welcoming development and a major step forward in protecting bears in Pakistan. However, in its current state, the notification is legally not defensible and tenable and unlikely to be upheld in a court of law......”

A slice of history:

"The “sport" of bear-baiting was practiced in England over a thousand years ago. Elizabethan Bear & Bull Baiting were immensely popular sports during the Elizabethan era. Thousands would gather in special arenas to watch the bloodthirsty form of entertainment. Vast amounts of money were waged on the outcome of these contests. The whipping of a blinded bear was another variation of bear-baiting. Queen Elizabeth was also reported to attend for an afternoon’s entertainment.
Theatrical Performances proved to be so popular that in 1591 the growing popularity of theatres led to a law CLOSING all theatres on Thursdays so that the bull and bear baiting industries would not be neglected!
Bear-baiting and bull-baiting were prohibited by Act of Parliament in 1835, but exploiting animals for entertainment still continues.
http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-bear-bull-baiting.htm

While we acknowledge positive steps have been taken and are in place to ban bear-baiting we ask that you sign and share this petition to continue to fight for the remaining bears that need to be rescued from this cruel “sport”.

These bears have been traumatised and suffer mental and physical distress; they now deserve retirement in a sanctuary.
No more bears must be made to suffer this horrific way for human entertainment.

** Photo credit: PIXABAY

Please read petition letter.