A TOTAL of £1,307 has been raised for a bear rescue charity, thanks to the generosity of Kidderminster shoppers.
The international animal protection organisation – Animals Asia – held street collections at Weaver’s Wharf over the summer.
Christine Coldrick, the Worcestershire co-ordinator for Animals Asia, said: “We’re absolutely delighted at the amount we collected and the support we received from the public.
“We would also like to thank LCP Management, which allowed us to collect at Weavers Wharf.
“Animals Asia was founded in 1998 to protect and rescue moon bears, who are kept in tiny cages and appalling conditions in some parts of Asia, so they can be used for the agonising extraction of bile from their gall bladders for use in traditional medicine.
“The government of Vietnam has agreed to end bear bile farming there and Animals Asia is building another sanctuary for the bears, to add to the two it has already.”
The charity also extended its activities to the welfare of cats and dogs in south-east Asia, where they are frequently abandoned and sometimes sold in meat markets.
The group also campaigns to protect animals in zoos and safari parks, where they often suffer abuse.
Visit animalsasia.org for more on Animal Asia and email Christine at [email protected] for more on fundraising for the cause in Worcestershire.
