Tuffy the moon bear’s life was far from easy.
For nine long years, he was confined to a tiny cage at a bile farm, where workers painfully extracted bile from his gallbladder for traditional medicine.
This agonizing process involved strapping Tuffy into a cruel device known as a ‘torture vest.’
Fortunately, Tuffy’s days of suffering came to an end when Animals Asia stepped in to rescue him.
They brought him to their sanctuary in Vietnam, where a vet discovered the extent of his injuries.
His gallbladder was so damaged it had to be removed, and he also suffered from three fractured teeth and painfully dry, cracked paws.
Louise Ellis, Animals Asia Bear Manager, explained, “The cracked paws are common to bile farm bears as they only walk on bars, not grass. Dehydration is likely to have contributed to this too.”
After recovering from his surgery, Tuffy was introduced to his new home at the sanctuary – a spacious enclosure complete with a pool.
Having never encountered water in such abundance, Tuffy was ecstatic to see the pool and immediately dashed towards it, eager to explore and splash around.
The sight of Tuffy swimming and jumping joyfully in the pool was a heartwarming scene for the volunteers.
They couldn’t help but laugh and share in his happiness, witnessing the bear fully enjoying his newfound freedom.
Tuffy’s love for the outdoors became evident as he chose to sleep under the stars every night, foregoing the comfort of his den.
Louise Ellis reflected on this, saying, “Coming from years of little or no water, for Tuffy this must feel like a true oasis after being parched and in pain for so long.
It must have felt like such a relief to have the freedom to splash around in the water after only being able to stand on the hard metal bars of the bile farm cage.”
Over the following year, Tuffy regained his strength and health, visibly putting on weight and thriving in his new environment.
Once he was strong enough, he was moved to an enclosure with 15 other moon bears who had similar pasts.
Tuffy quickly adapted to his new social surroundings, becoming a family amongst the other bears.
Bear manager Sarah van Herpt shared her affection for Tuffy, saying, “We all adore Tuffy, he is such a playful bear that it is impossible not to fall in love with him.”
“And when he’s having a good day, everybody wants to be his friend.”
In a significant move towards animal welfare, the Vietnamese government announced plans to completely eradicate bear bile farming by 2020.
This decision promises a future where many bears, like Tuffy, will be rescued from such cruel conditions and will experience the joy and freedom of sanctuary life.
After enduring nine years in a small cage, Tuffy now enjoys a wonderful life in his sanctuary home.
His story of transformation and joy serves as a heartening reminder of the resilience and spirit of animals.
Watch the “happiest” bear ever in the video below!
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