Hanoi (VNA) ꦗ- Two bears rescued from a household in Phung Thuong commune in Hanoi’s Phuc Tho district were brought to the Bear Rescue Centre Vietnam's second branch in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue on October 3.

These are also the first two bears received by this centre, under construction in Bach Ma National Park.

𒀰 According to Animals Asia, the two bears were handed over to the organisation on a voluntary basis. The two suffered from hair loss from being kept in captivity by the family for almost 20 years.

The two bears are named Armstrong (male bear) and Buzz (female bear), the names of the first two astronauts who set foot on the moon.  According to a representative of Animals Asia, the organisation is launching a "#nobearleftbehind” hashtag campaign with the goal of rescuing all bears held in captivity in Vietnam. Since 2006, Animals Asia has rescued 267 captive bears in Vietnam. In Hanoi alone, thanks to effective advocacy and propaganda, Animals Asia and the Hanoi Forest Protection Department have rescued 16 bears over the past two years. Since the beginning of this year, six black bears were rescued from Phung Thuong commune to the Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre’s first facility in Tam Dao National Park in the northern Vinh Phuc province. According to the department, 97 bears still live in captivity in Phuc Tho District, and authorities will continue to persuade their owners to turn them in. Earlier, two Asian black bears were rescued from a household in Di An city in the southern province of Binh Duong on July 28 and transported to the rescue centre in Tam Dao National Park.

The bears, now named Bonnie and Clyde, were micro-chipped and kept in the family for nearly 20 years.

Binh Duong’s Sub-Department Forest Protection has been advocating for the elder owners to hand over the bears to the Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre.

Bonnie, the female bear, weighs around 150kg and suffers from multiple health problems, including an abnormal gallbladder, an amputated right hind leg, and a wounded left hind leg, said senior veterinary surgeon Shaun Thomson from Animals Asia.

꧋ Meanwhile, the 120kg male bear Clyde is in slightly better health condition, although examinations show its gallbladder has a few signs of damage. The bear also experienced hair loss in the abdomen area, which might come from lying on the concrete floor in the cage for too long, according to the animal expert.

There are more than 300 bears being held in bear farms across the country, according to according to the Forest Protection Department. Bears have often been held captive in Vietnam for their bile, which is thought to have healing effects according to traditional medicine. The representative of Animals Asia said bears suffer physically and mentally from being caged, adding that many bears have become disabled after being rescued. These normally wild animals, after their long-term captivity, would not survive if released into the wild.

Funded by Animals Asia, the Bear Rescue Centre's second branch will have 12 bear houses; 12 semi-wild areas; and sections for administrative work, a veterinary hospital, bear food processing, and waste treatment, among other infrastructure facilities.

𒐪 The 12.7ha establishment is designed to be capable of accommodating more than 300 bears received from private farms. It will also conduct activities to raise public awareness on protecting the animal./.