I am Anouk Brindle, 12, and I live in Somerset, England.  I am an animal lover and I care passionately about the welfare of animals all over the world.  

I am planning to swim 100KM over the summer holidays to fundraise for Animals Asia who fight to end an awful pratice known as bear bile farming. In 2017, Animals Asia signed a legally binding agreement with the Vietnamese government that will see them work together to close every farm.  Their existing rescue centre in Tam Dao is now full, so they need to build a whole new second sanctuary to house the remaining bears. This new 12-hectare sanctuary will sit within the beautiful Bach Ma National Park and eventually be home to the bears who are still trapped on bile farms. Once the last bear is saved, this trade will be history for Vietnam, and will set a precedent for other countries in the region to follow.  We need to save these bears! 

Please sponsor me for whatever you can afford!  Every pound will go directly to the bears and every pound counts! 

£50 a KM- Will feed 1 bear all of their dog food (which is an essential part of their diet) for 6 weeks: equivalent to 20kg of dog food

Bile bears suffer for years surviving on cheap inedible gruel which leaves their bodies weak and malnourished. As a result, when they finally arrive home at the sanctuary, rescued bears often have a myriad of health problems linked to their poor diet. The dedicated care team pride themselves on creating a delicious and nutritious meal plan for each bear, tailored to their health needs.! Moon bears need a balanced diet of protein, fruit and vegetables to keep them happy and healthy. At the sanctuary, they make sure each bear is nourished properly by feeding them a mix of dry dog food (a balanced source of protein and vitamins) with lots of fruit and veg. Each bear eats a staggering 1 ton/1000kg every year. This is the equivalent of eating half their body weight every single month!

I aim to raise £5,000 which will sponsor a bear carer for a year

The care of rescued bears is the most important part of life at the sanctuary. The care staff are local animal lovers, who take pride in the exemplary care of their bears. Their specialist knowledge of each individual bear allows us to tailor their diets, to offer them their favourite treats, and offers insight to the vet team when there are any changes to their health or behaviour. From cleaning mucky dens, preparing food, to encouraging natural bear behaviour, this team works incredibly hard to keep their bears happy and healthy. They love the bears! 

Please donate what you can to make sure that no bear is left behind.