Dave Spikey writes to our Director Julie Stock on behalf of AAF February 5th 2008 Dear Julie, I would like to begin by wishing you a very Happy New Year. 2008 should be a big year for AAF with our tenth anniversary on 08/08/08, coinciding with the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, but also, with any luck, the release of the first fortunate bears to AAF’s new sanctuary in Vietnam. In November, I was lucky enough to visit AAF’s work in both Vietnam and China with my wife, Kay. The visit was incredible and three words sum it up - emotional roller coaster! There were highs but many lows. I knew there would be but it was still too upsetting at times. We visited seven bile farms implausibly situated in the tourist paradise of Ha Long Bay in Vietnam. I was shocked and appalled as we walked along row after row of caged bears, 78 of which have been earmarked by the Vietnamese Government for imminent release into the care of AAF, at the new rescue centre near Hanoi. Nothing can prepare you for the sight of the bears in their tiny cages. Their sad , desperate , tortured eyes pleading with you. The self mutilation, endless pacing and mental illness that the continued pain and suffering has caused. Many bears had terrible injuries and were kept without access to water. Some were in direct sunlight, despite the soaring temperatures. Others were missing paws having been caught in the wild, some had wounds on their faces from rubbing the bars of their cages in frustration and some had grotesquely bloated abdomens. Kay and I are both passionate animals-lovers and have each signed up to “adopt” a bear with AAF. We each picked out “our” bear while visiting the farms and later visited the sanctuary near Hanoi, where our lucky bears will live out their lives. We also visited the sanctuary in Chengdu and were present when Fuzzy bear was tragically found to be riddled with tumours on the liver during a routine health check and had to be euthanized. We shall not forget the emotion of her funeral with all the fabulous staff from the sanctuary in attendance. My abiding memory however will be a happy one. Seeing the bears free at last in Animals Asia’s fantastic sanctuary in Chengdu , feeding, playing , climbing their platforms , splashing in their pools, foraging for their hidden food and play fighting. We were also thrilled to attend an AAF charity event in a local bar – it was packed with young Chinese listening to bands and intent on raising money to help save China’s tortured bears, so the lesson is getting through and the future is looking brighter, thanks to AAF’s important education work. In my line of business, I get many requests from charities asking for their help, most of which I have sadly to decline. However, when I heard about AAF and the horrific treatment of Moon Bears, I knew this was one charity I simply had to support to help combat some of the worst form of suffering that I have ever seen. There are thousands of bears still suffering and I’m dedicated to help this wonderful charity carry on until all of them are free. It’s the Beijing Olympic Games this year and we must put pressure on the Chinese Government to outlaw this barbaric practice. So do please join me and make 2008 a really exceptional year for AAF. Your support can make all the difference and there are many ways to get involved – why not Befriend a Bear for a loved one, join one of AAF’s many sponsored walks around the country or, best of all, bring a party of friends and come and support Jill at one of the events during her UK roadshow in June. All the information is available on the AAF website – so don’t wait or put it off till tomorrow – join us today and help save these magnificent bears. With warmest wishes and sincere thanks for your support, Dave Spikey www.animalsasia.org www.moonbears.co.uk Cannot find the product you are looking for? Please contact us by tel 0800 612 9688, fax 0800 612 9188, or email: info@dhshop.co.uk. We can usually source other products and we always welcome suggestions for additional products for our shop.

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