SIDELINE INNOCENCE

(Graphic Artist Unknown)

SIDELINE INNOCENCE

As he took in the wasteland of the

Nothingness

that remained of what

Once was

the thriving, living, breathing, sentient

Earth

The human child whispered,

“All that is left

is me and you.”

But the human-facsimile of

a living Bear

was incapable

of response.

~~~

~ Gerean Pflug for The Animal Spirits

THE DECLINE OF THE DANCING BEARS OF INDIA

~~~

NEW DELHI: The sight of poorly fed and badly treated bears being forced to dance on the streets of India is a thing of the past as a campaign to wipe out the practice has finally borne fruit, activists say.

The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) and India-based Wildlife SOS, which runs sanctuaries for bears, have also declared an end to the practice in the last few months, 40 years after a government ban in 1972.

~~~

HISTORY

• Since the 13th century, bears have been forced to dance for the entertainment of humans.
• In India, bear cubs were purchased from poachers for about $22.00

~~~

THE PROCESS OF FORCE

• The process of force began by hammering a hot iron rod through a cub’s sensitive snout.
• The bear cub’s teeth and claws were removed
• A threaded rope was inserted through the snout so that the bear can be forced to perform “tricks.”
• Humans forced the bear to the streets and for the price of a few rupees, initiated pain to force the bear to sway and jump

~~~

THE SUFFERING OF THE BEARS

• Removed from their mothers as cubs
• Loss of freedom
• Terror
• Extreme Pain
• Infected Snouts
• Infected and damaged root canals
• Untreated tuberculosis contracted from humans
• Malnutrtion
• Abuse
• Neglect
• Exploitation
• Death

~~~

PROGRESS & ACTION

• The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) and India-based Wildlife SOS, which runs sanctuaries for bears, have also declared an end to the practice in the last few months, 40 years after a government ban in 1972.
• Donation-funded groups, have been influencing exploiters of these innocent, living beings to stop this inhumane practice by providing them with money and incentives to re-train in other professions.  One example of many:  After six years of moving from place-to-place with three captive bears in tow, one man handed over his bears to Wildlife Trust of India officers, who offered his family financial assistance and helped him and his younger brother learn driving skills.
• “India is changing rapidly and this is an outmoded, inhumane tradition. The ‘trainers’ themselves realise now that it is far easier for them to earn a living doing other jobs,” Menon of WTI

Note:  Success in actions taken to end this travesty is opening opportunities for other campaigns, such as the one to rid India of its snake charmers who can still be spotted illegally plying their trade, often with the snakes’ mouths sewn shut.

~~~

THE CONTINUING NEED

• Menon of the WTI says that the dancing bear industry was also “a dominant cause behind the disappearance of the sloth bear”, a focus at the bear conference which focused on conservation and welfare.
• In the last three decades, the number of sloth bears, a species native to South Asia, has fallen by at least 30 per cent, according to the IUCN-SSC Bear Specialist Group (BSG). There are now less than 20,000 of them.
• “The widespread poaching of bear cubs and the killing of mother bears clearly affects the population of the species,” ~ Menon (WTI)

~~~

Any action taken to protect an innocent, sentient, living being makes a difference.

Every click, share, comment,

tweet, blog post, reblog,

letter written, phone call placed and donation made

reaches thousands.

Blessings on those who give voice to those who cannot speak for themselves.

~Gerean Pflug, The Animal Spirits

Resources:

India’s ‘dancing bears’ retire in animal rights victory.

World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA):  http://www.wspa-international.org/

Wildlife Trust of India:  http://wildlifetrustofindia.org/

Bear Specialist Group (BSG):  http://www.bearbiology.com/index.php?id=bsgmain

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfBjzX5ZTJE

http://dawn.com/2012/12/02/indias-dancing-bears-retire-in-animal-rights-victory/

RECIPE FOR A DANCING BEAR

Link to Photograph

~~~

INGREDIENTS

• 1 innocent, sentient, living being ~ A bear
• 1 narrow, upright, steel enforced cage (large enough to fit a bear)
• 1 steel plate with ports for electrical wiring
• 1 electrical heating system
• 1 music output system
• Circus music recording of choice

INSTRUCTIONS

• Remove a bear from his natural environment (by any means neccessary)
• Force bear into steel enforced cage with little room to move except to stand upright
• Initiate electrical current to steel floor at a temperature that will inflict adequate pain to paw pads
• As the being begins to suffer from the pain, begin music and initiate spoken commands
• Immediately the living being will begin to alternate feet for releif from the burns
• The alternation of movement from paw-to-paw will simulate a human-like dancing movement
• Alternate reducing and raising heat until desired motion is executed upon demand

Note:  Continually assure that living being understands who’s in charge!  If feelings of empathy for the living being begin to be experienced, be strong and remind yourself that any suffering experienced by a living being in the interest of entertainment is acceptable.  While it is true that all living beings suffer equally, as long as it’s not YOU suffering, don’t inconvenience yourself with wasted compassion.  A living being’s life in trade for a few minutes of entertainment is considered by many to be acceptable.

GARNISH

Decorate sentient being in bright-colored, eye-catching, comedic fabric

SERVE

Best served in large groups in colorful settings with ridiculous music playing in the background.

Recipe serves millions of spectators at the cost of $15 – $100.00 a pop, depending on the financial status of partakers.

~~~

The treatment of animals in circuses is beyond inhumane.

Please help stop the suffering.

Please help to stop the use of animals in circuses.

Please use your social media platforms to raise public awareness.

Please choose empathy and compassion in your actions toward all living beings.

On behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves, Thank You.

Author:  Gerean Pflug, for The Animal Spirits

Copies permitted with a link to this page URL

~~~

“When we return wild animals to nature,

we merely return them to what is already… theirs,

For man cannot give wild animals freedom,

they can only take it away.”

~Jacques Cousteau~

~~~

Resources:

Bear With Us, http://bearwithus.org/bear-residents

BEAR WITH US REHABILITATION & SANCTUARY ~ Fulfilling the mission: The four primary areas of operation for Bear With Us are: 1-Black Bear Rehabilitation; orphaned bear cubs and injured bears cared for and returned to the wild in a high state of health. 2-Bear Sanctuary; various species; A comfortable place to stay for permanent non-releasable bears such as ex-circus bears, zoo excess or illegal pet confiscations. 3-Education; (a)-Off locat…ion slide/video presentations for groups at Provincial Parks, schools, cub and guides, other young people’s groups, nature clubs and more. (b)-Comprehensive website, Facebook page and a special educational Facebook page for Molly Bear. (c)-One on one phone conversations and email responses to individuals with questions regarding bears. 4-Conflict Resolution; Assisting people and bears to coexist together. Individual consultation with people about how not to encourage or discourage a nuisance bear by removing food attractants, live trapping and relocating individual bears when other potential solutions have been exhausted.

OUTSIDE OF THE BOX

OUTSIDE OF THE BOX

Hands of men viciously tear her from her mother’s loving care

a wooden box their choice of containment of a tiny baby bear.

This story is told in honor of those who work to send the heroes  there

and with hopes of raising consciousness of mankind everywhere

*

Stuffed roughly and mercilessly

inside of the box

in which she does not fit

she  screams, she begs, she cries out

to her mother who paces

frantically, helplessly, hysterically

from behind the fence between them

she cannot reach nor save her baby

all pleas of mercy ignored

grace withheld

resistance futile

desperate claws

arms reaching out

hands of men,

ruthlessly

force the ultimate submission

carelessly inflicting pain

overpowered – letting go

heavy lid sealed down upon her

into the darkness

of only sounds

of her mother’s desperate protests

of hammering of nails above  her head

and the heartbreaking clinkity-clink

of a handful of coins

her freedom in trade of

profit from animal trade.

*

Next light finds her

caged

all alone(ly)

her only company

staring human animals

who gain for the price

of a cup of coffee

a few minutes

of moderate curious satisfaction

at the cost of

her ‘unbearable’ loss.

*

In the pit of sadness

hope diminishing increasingly

she begins the gradual acceptance

of what is

as abused and captive

animal spirits

usually do

succumbing to  indifferent emptiness

of the imprisoned reality inflicted

at the hands of men

*

Weeks pass

the sun grows hot

and just as the last bits of

her memory of freedom begin to wilt

a change fills the air when

riding upon white horses

of metal and roaring of sound

 throngs of angels arrive

attached to

hands of men

reaching out to save her

gently,

protectively,

capably

lifting her from hell

and with loving whispers deliver her

into the promised land

of grapes and bread soaked in honey

to a place of space and care

absent forever from cruelty

to roam where peace abounds

a lifetime warrantee

(and a swimming pond)

man’s gift to her

a second chance at life

outside of the box.

~~~

Live Long Nastia!

Author:  Gerean Pflug, The Animal Spirits, 11/28/2012

All rights reserved.  Copy permitted only with link back to this page.

~~~

NOTE:  The above prose is dedicated to Nastia and was written to generate empathy and to honor the super heroes:  Dr. Amir Khalil & Helmut Dungler, CEO of FOUR PAWS, UK, as well as the hundreds of staff members, volunteers and donors who actively protect the welfare of our precious wildlife.  Special thanks to French animal welfare organization “30 Millions d’Amis” for the role they played in protecting Baby Nastia.  Blessings on the heads and hands of brave and noble men about the work of setting a standard of honorable leadership through the rightness of empathy, compassion and a dedication to preserve the dignity of The Animal Spirits.

Thank you, Gerean Pflug

~~~

THE STORY OF NASTIA THE BABY BEAR- VIDEO

~~~

Read the article, published today, 11/28/2012, by Four Paws, UK at:

http://www.four-paws.org.uk/uk/en/projects/bears/bears-in-ukraine/nastia-arrives-at-new-home/

*

WHO IS PAYING FOR ALL OF THIS? 

THE COSTS INVOLVED:

• COST TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THESE TRAVESTIES THROUGH BLOGGING & SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS:  Zero
• COST OF WRITING TO GOVERNMENTAL OFFICIALS AND WORLD LEADERS:  Zero
• COST TO ASSIST IN RAISING FUNDS THROUGH PRIVATE DONATIONS, FOUNDATION & GIVING PROGRAMS:  Zero
• COST TO OFFER VOLUNTEER SERVICES TO ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS:  Zero
• COST TO DONATE TO WILDLIFE PROTECTION:  Whatever anyone can afford – Even small amounts help.
• COST TO APPREHENDED ILLEGAL TRADERS:  A fine of 60 Euros ($78.00 U.S.)
• COST TO THE RESCUERS, ANIMAL SANCTUARIES and FINANCIAL SUPPORTERS:  Millions
• COST TO THE INNOCENT ANIMALS:  Torture, Imprisonment, Life

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SUPPORT THE WORK OF FOUR PAWS UK:

FOUR PAWS UK WEBSITE  http://www.four-paws.org.uk/

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