We encourage you to conduct your own research. We would like to learn from you!
What organizations are active in this area and what do
they do? If I support them, how will my money be spent?
There are a number of organizations that are actively involved with this
issue.
Animals Asia Foundation (AAF): "The mission of the Animals Asia
Foundation is to improve the lives of all animals in Asia,
end cruelty and restore respect for animals Asia-wide." This
organization is based in Hong Kong and is involved in a number of animal
issues, but bear farming in China
and Vietnam
is their main focus. This organization is the brain child of Jill
Robinson MBE, who actually brought bear farming to the attention of the world
and has made ending bear farming her life’s work. AAF operates a bear rescue
facility in the Sichuan province
of China and is currently constructing
a second facility in Vietnam.
When animals are periodically released by farms into the custody of AAF (a
complex process) they are brought to the Chengdu
center for major abdominal surgery. They must then have extensive physical
and mental rehabilitation. They will live there the rest of their
lives. You can read about this organization in detail on their excellent
and extensive web site. In particular, listen to the radio interview with
Jill Robinson recorded in 2004. AAF has low visibility in the United States at this time, but is very active
in the U.K., Australia, New
Zealand, Germany
and Asia. Monies donated to AAF can be
directed to China Bears or Vietnam
specifically. Your money will be used to fund the rescue facility and
other bear related efforts.
Free The Bears Fund Inc. is a non-profit organization based in Perth Western
Australia, founded in 1995 by Mary Hutton.
Their main focus is bringing an end to the "dancing bears" of India. To
do this, working with Wildlife SOS in India and International Animal
Rescue, they have introduced the “Kalandar Rehabilitation Program” where seed
money is given to the Kalandar to earn an alternative income. To date they have
saved 464 bears and given 464 Kalandar families a better quality of life. They
have built sanctuaries in Cambodia,
Thailand, Kalimantan,
India and Laos for bears
confiscated from poachers, markets and animal traders. Sun bears, Asiatic Black
bears and Sloth bears have been rescued and are now kept in sanctuaries in
these countries. They also work to raise awareness of bear bile farming
by petitioning and letter writing to the authorities in China. One
hundred per cent of all donations and sponsorships are given directly to the
bears. Like Animals Asia, this organization demonstrates what one focused
and committed individual can accomplish.
Moonbears.org is a group
dedicated to ending bear farming in Korea. Their principles are as follows:
1. The Korean government should ban all bear farming, close
bear farms and offer a compensation package to bear farmers.
2. The government should establish a properly funded bear sanctuary at Jirisan National Park and the farmed bears be
released, monitored and properly protected and cared for there.
3. The government should ban all sales of bear products in Korea.
4. The government should foster education in schools and other places.
5. International monitoring organizations should be invited to participate in
monitoring of compliance with animal welfare regulations.
http://www.moonbears.org/ The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) is an
international animal welfare organization. Its mission: “To build a
united global animal welfare movement.” It is, in fact, a federation of animal
welfare groups, connecting over 850 independent animal welfare
organizations (known as "Member Societies") in 150 countries.
Bear farming is a key issue for WSPA. They are working in the key nations
– China, Korea, and Vietnam – to convince the
governments there that it is in their best interest to close down the bear
farming industry. WSPA has worked with law enforcement officials to halt
the illegal trade in bear bile, conducting undercover investigations into the
illegal trafficking of bear bile around the world, including looking at
traditional Asian medicine shops in Chicago.
They are also actively lobbying for passage of HR 3029. WSPA has a lot of
information via the links listed below. Monies can be directed to the
bear bile issue and will be used for their various efforts.
WildAid states their mission as follows: “We believe that the ecological
damage, cruelty and corruption involved in the illegal wildlife trade are both
unnecessary and morally unacceptable - that these activities constitute a theft
from future generations.” Their main strategy is to decrease the
demand for wildlife products. WildAid works with media, governments,
celebrities, local partners and communities worldwide to make wildlife
conservation a global priority. They have used a number of celebrity
spokesmen to produce very powerful messages aimed at their objectives.
Donations can be directed to bear bile efforts.
http://www.wildaid.org/index.asp?CID=1 I want to give some money. How can I decide among these organizations?
It is not our intent to endorse any particular group. The descriptions
should help point you in the right direction. If you have doubts, call
the group and ask them how your donation will be spent. You should be
aware that strictly speaking, contributions for lobbying are not tax
deductible. Ponder the following statement: “As long as 501(c)(4),
501(c)(6), or 501(c)(19) organizations are primarily involved with tax-exempt
activities, they can engage in a substantial amount of lobbying. However,
lobbying may not be a substantial part of the activities of a 501(c)(3)
organization. As noted by the IRS, if a contribution to a 501(c)(3) is
earmarked for lobbying efforts, it is not deductible as a charitable donation.
Permissible levels of lobbying expenditures are clearly specified for 501(c)(3)
groups that elect to come under the alternative lobbying criteria of theTax
Reform Act of 1976.”
We encourage you to conduct your own research. We would like to learn from you!