A pair of bears in Russia are being confiscated from their owner in an attempt to provide them with a better quality of living and break them from their alcohol addiction. The attempt to sober the two bears comes after it was found they are living in extreme squalor within a small cage that was filled with garbage of all sorts. In addition to the unhealthy conditions, the bears were provided alcoholic beverages as treats from the owner and any visitors that arrived to view the pair. The ingestion of alcohol has become so horrible that the bears are officially diagnosed as alcoholics and will need special treatment to ween them off of their addiction.
The bears are currently living in Sochi in a cage that is barely large enough for the two of them to move comfortably. Metro U.K. reports that the bears have lived in the filthy cage for nearly twenty years, which has prompted concerned parties to report the alleged animal abuse to the authorities. The Big Hearts Foundation has also stepped in to assist in transporting the large bears to a safer location, where they can be properly cared for and treated for their alcohol addictions.
A court ruling has allowed the removal of the bears from their current cage, where they will be transported to Romania. According to Anna Kogan, of the Big Hearts Foundation, the transport will be expensive, but will also place the bears in the hands of a group of trainers that have experience with bears that have endured similar lifestyles.
“It’s a very expensive process to move them abroad. The court order is there to take them away but there is nowhere to put them in Sochi.The people [in Romania] have worked with dancing bears who had similar problems … it can be done.”
BBC News also reported on the alcoholic bears, revealing that the removal is scheduled to take place in March. It was revealed that one of the bears has become a victim of blindness due to the mistreatment and poor conditions in the small cage.
Although they are preparing for their trip to Romania, they are still living under the owner’s care until they can be moved. The delay is partially due to a lack of proper paperwork that is needed to conduct the transfer, although it is in the process of being completed. They are expected to be shipped across the black sea before arriving in their new home.
The current owner defended his decision to allow the bears to consume the alcoholic beverages by stating that “beer was good for them because of the climate.”
[Photo Courtesy: Gawker ]