As of the beginning of October, we have now raised £150,000 to build a new habitat for Benji & Balu and now we need to raise £75,000 for transportation costs to bring them to their forever home!
The first part of our rescue mission was to create a habitat for Benji and Balu that will stimulate and encourage all of their natural behaviours, allow them to rehabilitate from their previous traumas, and give them the opportunity to become bears again. With platforms and a boulder mountain to encourage physical exercise and provide a sense of security, ponds and a stream to enable them to enjoy the water for both mental and physical enrichment, bear caves so they can hibernate and a bear house for them to find safety, this habitat will provide Benji and Balu with everything they need! With the £150,000 we have raised since May 2024, our vision is now becoming a reality and the habitat is set to be completed early in 2025, ready for the arrival of Benji and Balu!
For updates on the habitat progress see our blog.
The second challenging part to our rescue and fundraising campaign, is for support and funding to transport Benji and Balu to our Sanctuary from Azerbaijan, which could include air travel, ground transport, and veterinary costs, like high-grade anaesthesia and a qualified veterinarian to supervise their travel. We were recently devastated to learn that a sponsored flight has sadly fallen through which has meant extending our fundraising target by another £75,000. This campaign was launched in October 2024.
To read the full fundraising story click here.
Thank you to all our community donors who have helped us reach this point and to those that continue to find creative methods to raise funds for us! Help us reach our new goal by signing up to create a fundraiser now.
Brothers Balu and Benji have only ever known a life of misery on the side of a restaurant in Azerbaijan. Alone, hungry and suffering serious injuries, these "restaurant bears" were considered nothing more than a roadside novelty for customers. Living off scraps in a tiny cage, they were malnourished, starving, and underweight.
Still living in a tiny cage and in desperate need of rescue, these bears have only ever experienced trauma, abuse, and neglect. They deserve a safe home that will mimic their natural habitat and to live the rest of their lives in peace. To help these bears thrive, we need to build a tailored enclosure which will support their rehabilitation and ensure they grow to thrive once more.
We have a suitable area earmarked within our site but we need your help to create an inspiring place for our rescue bears to call home.
Every pound raised can help us reach our goal of £150,000 to ensure a suitable home and transport for these worthy animals.
All donations can help make a difference. From the smallest screw to whole shipping containers, we need it all to make this build possible and save these amazing brothers!
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