International Animal Rescue, along with our partners, Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC), have freed a suffering bear from a small welded cage and started an urgent appeal for help towards spiralling care costs.
Thanks to a combined rescue operation by IAR and FPWC, a Syrian brown bear gained freedom from extreme suffering in Armenia. Authorities found Noah the bear trapped within a welded enclosure in Yerevan’s Silikyan district, where he endured severe neglect and deplorable living conditions.
The young Syrian brown bear Noah, around four years old, endured long confinement in darkness. Noah’s teeth require urgent surgical attention due to their terrible condition, and his paws sustained raw and bloody injuries from pacing on floors contaminated with urine and faeces. The bear struggled to move because of an icy floor, which made resting and sleeping impossible. Noah experienced such severe distress that he took seven continuous days of sleep after his rescue, which probably marked his first genuine period of rest in years.
The rescue team included FPWC, police and local emergency services to overcome tremendous challenges, including breaking into the cage that was welded shut before the bear could be set free and then moving to FPWC’s Wildlife Rescue Centre. Since he arrived at the Rescue Centre, Noah has received intensive medical care and will now be in rehabilitation while being closely monitored by veterinary professionals. The road to his full recovery will be a long and ongoing battle.
The President of International Animal Rescue, Alan Knight OBE, called the situation a heartbreaking yet urgent rescue operation:
“No animal deserves to experience the kind of suffering that Noah endured. Noah experienced unimaginable suffering as he remained trapped in his filthy, freezing cage with no way to escape. The International Animal Rescue and FPWC’s commitment ensured Noah’s safety; however, his struggle to improve his life continues. Noah requires expert veterinary services and constant monitoring to start his recovery process. Noah deserves a better life, and we need the public’s help to fund and support his long recovery process.”
The Noah rescue highlights the ongoing plight of captive bears in Armenia. Around 80 bears endure terrible living conditions throughout Armenia, where they remain confined in cages at restaurants, hotels and roadside zoos without sufficient food, water or space to move. For years, Noah and other bears have experienced neglect and psychological trauma that leads them to display abnormal movements such as pacing and swaying, as well as self-harming behaviours.
We need compassionate people worldwide to join us and support this vital mission. Contributions will help Noah and other bears through their recovery and stop bears like Noah from experiencing such suffering again. If you can, please donate at https://www.internationalanimalrescue.org/appeal/noahsrescue