Bear Baiting
Bear baiting is possibly the world‘s most savage blood sport. Teeth and claws removed, bears are tied to a post and set-upon by pit bull terriers.
WSPA‘s work has helped to reduce the number of bear baiting events held; opposition to the fights is increasing, but there is still much work to be done.
What is bear baiting?
Usually held at local fairs in Pakistan, this cruel practice pits dogs against bears that have had their claws and teeth removed. The extraction of teeth and claws in itself is a cruel and agonising practice.
Before the fight, the bears are tied to a post which renders them defenceless to the dogs‘ frenzied attack.
Animal welfare workers are urging Pakistan to rescue scores of bears being used to fight dogs.
 The Pakistani authorities have ... raised endless bureaucratic obstacles in the way of taking action against bear baiting  |
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Peter Henderson, WPSA |
It says it is certain that some bears will be rescued from the baiting gangs later this year.
The alarm was sounded by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), based in the UK. The society has spent more than �100,000 ($150,000) on the construction of a sanctuary for baited bears at Kund Park, in the North West Frontier province of Pakistan.
Savage punishment
WPSA says it built the sanctuary, which can house 40 to 50 animals, in response to a Pakistan Government request for somewhere to put the bears it promised to confiscate from owners.
 Specially-trained dogs are used in the events |
It uses Asiatic black bears, estimated by WSPA to number perhaps fewer than 300 still in the wild in Pakistan. The adults are killed, and the cubs are sold to gypsies who use them to fight specially-trained dogs at events hosted by landlords in rural areas.
The bears, which have often had their teeth and claws removed, are tied to a stake. They seldom die during a fight, but suffer savage punishment from bites to their muzzles and ears.
Covert filming
The object of the fight is to see whether one of the two dogs can force the bear to roll over. The bear usually loses.
 The bears often have their teeth and claws removed |
Peter Henderson of WSPA, who built the Kund Park sanctuary, filmed a bear fight at Khan Bela in Punjab on 16 November last year. He had left the area earlier in the day because of concerns for his security, but returned to fly over the fight in a light aircraft.
He said: "There were 14 bears defending themselves against pairs of dogs, more than 30 altogether. We flew low over the field, so low they had to stop. Then they began filming us."
'Bureaucratic obstacles'
WSPA says police officers were guarding the entrances to the field, and the authorities, despite advance warning, failed to enforce the law.
I am sure we shall see the first bears rescued from the baiters entering the WSPA sanctuary later this year |
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Ejaz Raja, Pakistan High Commission in London |
Peter Henderson said: "The Pakistani authorities have sent WSPA on a continual merry-go-round of false promises, and have raised endless bureaucratic obstacles in the way of taking action against bear baiting."
But the Pakistan High Commission in London said action would soon come.
Immediate investigation
The second secretary in the Commission's political section, Mr Ejaz Raja, told BBC News Online: "The necessary actions have been taken.
 The practice is concentrated in parts of Punjab province, and in Sind and Baluchistan |
"I don't accept WSPA's account of what happened in Khan Bela, because I'm sure it must have taken place quite illegally. But we'll ask our government for an immediate investigation.
"Bear-baiting is illegal in Pakistan, and I agree it's barbaric. I am sure we shall see the first bears rescued from the baiters entering the WSPA sanctuary later this year."
