Built Safe, Built Tough, Let’s Play!
Login
Username or email address *
Password *
Remember me
Log in
Lost your password?
No products in the cart.
by Aussie Dog | August 31, 2024 | News
Over 25 years ago, two women from a local library reached out to Joe Parsons at Aussie Dog Products, requesting enrichment items for a mysterious organization called Free The Bears. Intrigued, Joe agreed, and soon after, Matt Hunt from Free The Bears contacted him, amused that these women were fundraising for his bears. This chance encounter sparked a long-standing and respectful partnership between Free The Bears and Aussie Dog Products.
Matt Hunt remarked, “Aussie Dog toys made in Victoria are playing a crucial role in enhancing the lives of animals rescued from the illegal wildlife trade in Southeast Asia.”
In a neighbourhood in Vientiane, Laos, the desperate cries of endangered moon bear cubs led residents to alert the authorities. Inside a grim setting, authorities discovered 16 moon bear cubs, caged and in distress, likely destined for a bear bile farm with their mothers killed by poachers.
Meanwhile, at the Luang Prabang sanctuary, an eight-hour drive away, Free The Bears’ team, alerted by rumours and social media, prepared for a potential rescue. After gathering essential supplies, they set up near the police station, ready for action.
Upon entering the house, they were shocked to find 17 cubs, the smallest weighing just 1.3 kg. This March seizure is the largest rescue of endangered bear cubs ever recorded and far exceeds Free The Bears’ previous record.
Tragically, one cub had already died, and the team worked tirelessly through the night to save the remaining cubs. Matt Hunt, Free The Bears’ CEO, stressed the urgency of proper care, noting that even a brief lapse could be fatal for such tiny cubs. “Once they were fed and had full bellies, their desperate cries turned to calmness,” he said.
Founded in 1995 by Perth grandmother Mary Hutton after watching a TV program on moon bears, Free The Bears has grown into a significant conservation organization. Since then, the charity has rescued over 1,000 bears and established sanctuaries in three countries.
For Hunt, leading this historic rescue is both fulfilling and concerning. He’s apprehensive about whether this large-scale rescue is an anomaly or a sign of increasing trade in bear cubs. “It’s a massive commitment to care for these animals,” Hunt explains. “We’ve never seen a seizure of this scale before. If it’s a sign of a growing trend, it’s deeply worrying.”
Matt Hunt, a former UK zookeeper, joined Free The Bears after a chance phone call with Mary Hutton, which set him on a path of dedicated service. Over 18 years as CEO, Hunt has overseen significant growth and expansion, including work in Vietnam and Cambodia. For nearly eight years, he has called Laos home, where he leads efforts at the Luang Prabang Wildlife Sanctuary.
Free The Bears began operations in Laos in 2003, starting with the Tat Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre. Despite initial constraints, the charity has grown, rescuing 26 bears in 2015 and expanding to a larger sanctuary in late 2017. Today, the sanctuary houses over 110 bears and other wildlife.
In 2020, Free The Bears added a new cub nursery, a vital development that became invaluable during the recent rescue. Hunt compared the intense care for the cubs, including frequent feedings and strict sanitation, to a military operation. Remarkably, all the cubs survived, a testament to the dedication and expertise of the team.
As hunting increases due to economic pressures, Free The Bears focuses on conservation while supporting the community, serving as a major employer in Luang Prabang and helping local families through food contracts and education programs.
Hunt’s commitment to the animals and the people around him is evident. “The real reason I’ve stayed for 18 years is as much about the people as it is about the animals,” he says. “It’s about making a positive impact on the lives of those who work for us or live nearby.”
Ultimately, Hunt finds solace and motivation in the well-being of the bears. “I always say I don’t want animals in our sanctuary. I’d love to lock it up and say, ‘We’re done.’” But knowing the better lives they have with us makes our work incredibly powerful.”
For more information, visit: https://freethebears.org/
Inside Story: How Perth’s Free The Bears Rescued a Record 16 Moon Bear Cubs in Laos
Read More