After enduring years of illegal captivity and brutalization in 35 staged fights within Pakistan’s Punjab province, a 7-year-old black bear named Rocky has been rescued.
A welfare organization announced his relocation to the capital, Islamabad, on Sunday, where he will receive critical medical attention.
Local authorities initially intervened, moving Rocky from his abusive situation to a holding facility. However, the facility lacked the necessary resources for proper care, prompting his further transfer. In a coordinated effort, a team from Four Paws, an international animal welfare organization, arrived in Pakistan to assist. Veterinarians performed surgery on Rocky on Sunday.
Dr. Amir Khalil said:
We were able to release and cut the chain and nose ring. His condition is physically good, but he suffered. He has a fracture in the jaw and has no teeth. We have several wounds on the ear because of the fights and biting by dogs.
Despite its illegality and inherent cruelty, bear fighting persists in certain regions of Pakistan, according to Khalil. Pakistan’s record in animal welfare is marred by a series of distressing incidents. Just last December, an elephant’s life was cut short at a safari park, succumbing to illness less than two weeks after being reunited with her sibling.
Furthermore, in 2020, two ailing and severely mistreated Himalayan brown bears, once forced to “dance,” were rescued from a notorious Islamabad zoo and relocated to a sanctuary in Jordan.