Animals Asia founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE has written an article explaining the present situation in Halong Bay for the Huffington Post. Below we publish an extract of the piece.

Bear farming is illegal in Vietnam but, in 2004 bear bile farmers were given the opportunity of officially micro-chipping and registering their bears, thus keeping them for public display, and as "pets". Any bears found without microchips from 2005 were deemed illegal, and confiscated by the authorities, where NGO's like ourselves could provide sanctuary for the rest of their lives.

Just this past November our team were once again at Halong Bay. Flanked by government officials, and a police guard - Tuan and our veterinary staff were investigating the three remaining farms. On the worst they recoiled, healthchecking emaciated bears that were severely malnourished, wounded, obviously continuing to have their bile extracted - and dying in front of their eyes.

Since visiting the three farms that day, 26 of the 49 bears have died -- and still government departments have failed to take decisive action and give Animals Asia a mandate to rescue the bears.

It breaks our hearts to think how these bears have died. Where are the bodies, or the body parts of these bears? How is the farmer being held accountable? And how are the owners of all of these farms allowed to continue flouting the law and laughing all the way to the bank?

Read Jill Robinson’s full article for the Huffington Post here.

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