LITTLE MAC’S STORY - HANOI CIRCUS RESCUE

Little Mac was one of the last four performing bears of the Hanoi Central Circus. Snatched from her mother when she was just a cub, the circus became her harsh reality. She spent the first tender years of her life imprisoned, wearing restraints and performing unnatural acts.
 
Riding a bike, playing basketball, walking on their hind legs for hours, jumping over objects, hand standing on an unbalanced platform... circus bears like Little Mac are taught confusing tricks with violence or by promising food after being left hungry for days. Considering every mistake means a stick hit, these trainings are brutally horrific for the bear's spirit. During the performances, the loud noise of the music, the cheers of the crowd and the dizzying lights all cause great fear and stress to bears.

Several animal performance facilities investigated by Animals Asia in 2021 failed to provide basic needs for the animals. Researchers reported that bears were dragged around the circus arena by ropes attached to their noses at these venues, including the one where Little Mac used to perform.
 
After these performances, trainers crammed Little Mac and her friends into barren metal cages. Some bears were found rocking in tiny cages, a well-known sign of stress or mental illness. Most of these bears develop many health issues, such as permanent joint damage, being dangerously underweight, and displaying abnormal behaviours that may reflect specific forms of brain dysfunction.

However, after years of ongoing dialogue with Animals Asia’s Captive Animal Welfare team, the circus finally decided to phase out wildlife performance in their shows completely and transferred Little Mac and her three friends to the organisation’s sanctuary in Tam Dao on 15 June 2021.

Now, under the nurturing care of Animals Asia, Little Mac has found her joy. She has blossomed into a bear full of confidence, happiness, and health. She has access to wide, open spaces and feels lush, fresh grass beneath her paws instead of cramped, cold and dark cages in the circus.  

Instead of being forced to do unnatural tricks, she can now behave in what is natural to her, such as climbing, foraging for food, digging in the dirt and playing with their new friends.