Ljubljana/Vienna, 4 March 2024 – Global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS is beyond concerned for four bears kept in terrible conditions by their private owners in Slovenia. Despite tireless efforts from the organisation to rescue the bears and relocate them to its species-appropriate bear sanctuaries in Europe, the responsible authorities refuse to confiscate the bears. They have been suffering in small cages in a private zoo and as entertainment next to restaurants for decades.  Quick action is needed: One of the original five bears has recently died after spending over 30 years in a concrete enclosure. The remaining four bears are also showing serious health concerns. FOUR PAWS urges the responsible Slovenian Ministries to finally act and give the bears a second chance at a better life.

"It is a scandal that the EU country of Slovenia is allowing animals to vegetate like this. The bears have been living in small cages for decades, on bare concrete, without protection from the weather or adequate food and medical care. Despite our tireless efforts, the authorities have been stalling for a long time. Even after the death of one of the bears, they continue to do nothing. The animals are in really bad shape – we must finally get them out," says Patricia Tiplea, Head of the Wild Animal Rescue and Advocacy unit at FOUR PAWS.

Three of the bears live in cages at restaurants, one in a private zoo. The bears' teeth are in a disastrous state, which must cause the animals massive pain. They also exhibit stereotypical behavior such as pacing or biting at the cage bars. Veterinarian Julia Bohner from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) visited them in summer 2023 together with FOUR PAWS and made an alarming diagnosis:

"I urgently recommend that the bears are relocated to a species-appropriate home to prevent further physical and psychological damage," says Bohner.

Bear Felix: A sad ending to a sad life

The deceased 33-year-old bear Felix lived together with the 34-year-old female bear Masha at Gostilna Tušek restaurant and hotel in Kocevje.

Since 2004, it has been illegal for private individuals in Slovenia to keep bears that have been taken from the wild. However, owners who acquired their animals before 2004 and could no longer release them into the wild were able to obtain a permit to keep them from the responsible Ministry. This exemption also applies following an amendment to the Animal Welfare Act, which came into force in April 2023 and also prohibits the keeping of bears born in captivity. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food's Food Safety, Veterinary and Plant Protection Authority is responsible for the health and welfare of the bears while the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning is responsible for husbandry conditions.

According to Slovenian law, bears must have access to:

• An outdoor enclosure of 150 m²/bear + 20m² for each additional bear
• An indoor enclosure of 6 m²
• A pool of 60m² x 1.5m depth
• Fresh food, including fish, meat, fruit and vegetables
• A structured enclosure with a natural floor and climbing facilities

"During both on-site visits, we found that none of the owners were keeping the bears in accordance with the law. That alone should alert the authorities. We are now trying to mobilise the public so that they finally get their act together. The bears urgently need our help," concludes Tiplea.

Read more about the effort of FOUR PAWS to help bears in Slovenia here: 

https://www.four-paws.org/campaigns-topics/campaigns/saddestbears/bears-in-southeast-europe/bears-in-slovenia