To add your name to the letter to Vietnam's Prime Minister asking him to help release the Halong Bay bears click here.

Celebrities across the world are adding their support to Animals Asia's campaign to save the Halong Bay bears in Vietnam.

British comedian, actor and writer Stephen Fry has been joined by iconic US actor Ali MacGraw and Australian singer and actor Olivia Newton-John in their support of Animals Asia's campaign to rescue bears suffering on a bear bile farm in Vietnam.

The campaign follows an inspection of the bear farm's facilities by Animals Asia in November 2014. The vet report documented bears living in terrible conditions while at least six were considered to be in danger of starving to death.

Animals Asia sent the veterinary report to the provincial Forest Protection Department and the Ministry of Rural Development on November 27. It included the request that the bears be handed over to Animals Asia for care and rehabilitation at its nearby Tam Dao bear sanctuary. Now, supporters are adding their name to a letter to Vietnam's Prime Minister – asking him to step in and allow the bears to be rescued.

In a rallying cry to fans Emmy award winner Stephen Fry, who has more than 8.45 million Twitter followers said: "We have to save the Halong Bay bears. Please ask the Vietnam government to step in and allow them to be rescued by Animals Asia. Add your voice - sign the letter to Vietnam's PM. These bears have spent their whole lives being abused – it must stop."

Golden Globe winner and animal welfare legend Ali McGraw visited Animals Asia's Tam Dao sanctuary in 2012.

She said:

"In 2012 I was lucky enough to visit Animals Asia's sanctuary in Tam Dao, Vietnam. It is a paradise for bears rescued from the incredible cruelty of the bear bile industry.

"I recently learned that in nearby Halong Bay there are bears literally dying as a result of lack of food and care on a bile farm that nobody wants. Animals Asia has requested that the bears be removed and put into their care where they can be rehabilitated. Please sign the letter to Vietnam's Prime Minister and ask him step in and let Animals Asia rescue these poor bears. We must save the Halong Bay bears."

Four time Grammy winning actress Olivia Newton-John, who has also adopted a moon bear rescued from the bile trade, added:

"Bears abused for years by Vietnam's bear bile industry are being left to die of starvation and neglect.

"All we're asking for is a happy ending for these poor, neglected bears. We must save the Halong Bay bears. Time is running out for these bears. Please help us rescue them."

In just one day, nearly 10,000 people signed the open letter to Vietnam's Prime Minister pleading for mercy for the 23 bears on Halong Bay's Cau Trang Bear Farm. At the time of the release the number is now 30,000.

Follow up requests for action from the Vietnamese government were sent by Animals Asia on December 24 and January 7. So far there has been no response from the Vietnamese authorities.

At the beginning of January, the Quang Ninh province Forest Protection Department confirmed that four of the bears had already died leaving 23 still fighting for their lives.

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