Pakistan has halted a major bear-baiting event planned in its Punjab province after a tip-off from staff of a global animal rights group.
From ‘BBC News’:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4558165.stm
!http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41157000/jpg/_41157897_bears.jpg! The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) said 20 fights involving 30 bears and 100 dogs had been planned for a village festival.
The three-minute fights pit pairs of fighting dogs against a tethered and toothless bear.
The WSPA said Pakistan’s move was a “tremendous victory” over bear-baiting.
It said its representatives had been monitoring the situation in Pakistan and had tipped off local authorities who stepped in to curb the bear-baiting.
h4. Decree
The BBC’s Zaffar Abbas in Islamabad says the controversial practice is still carried out in some parts of the country.
He says the events are hosted by powerful landlords in rural areas and usually occur between November and April.
The WSPA says the authorities have now become more responsive to its appeals.
A WSPA statement said the large bear-baiting event was planned to take place during an annual village festival in Shah Jewiena in the Jhang district of Punjab province.
Wildlife officials stopped bears being brought into the festival or the surrounding area.
Victor Watkins of WSPA said: “This is a tremendous victory in the fight against illicit bear-baiting events.
“We congratulate the Pakistan government on its diligent action and look forward to supporting further work to ensure that bear-baiting is consigned to the history books once and for all.”
The WSPA set up an information stand at the festival and said up to 9,000 people visited to learn more about animal welfare and bear-baiting.
In 2001, President Pervez Musharraf issued a decree calling for the enforcement of the existing ban on bear baiting, reinforcing Pakistan’s Prevention of Cruelty Act.
Gen Musharraf also directed that confiscated bears be moved to a WSPA-built sanctuary in Kund Park in Pakistan’s North-West Frontier Province.
This was a very sensitive issue which was raised by the wild life officals of Pakistan and had a great victory against it
i personaly hats off for WSPA the way they are working for the right of animals
This is just a baseless issue raised so high to earn huge funds at the rate of Pakistan insult
I hate WSPA and would request Pakistani official to eradicate this practice ?if present? from Pakistan by their own without any ugly foreign help
I would pay tribute to all those responsible for this Halt and will pray to GOD to give them success till they stop the last bearbaiting on earth. I know about WSPA work a lot and also won a prize from their school competition last year and want to contact (the bald person with glasses sorry I don’t know his name he visited from this organization to our school) to get corrected misspelled name on my certificate
i was very found of Bearbaitings and did alot against WSPA but one day i heard a lecture of WSPA representative in Pakistan i started weeping.
and since that day i disposed of all my dogs and not only i cancilled all bear baiting events in my jurisdictions but i have also made it banned in whole of my jurisdiction
i remember when we wre working against this organissation we found them with brave, courgeous and they do rejected sevral of our brobe ofer.
i would say that WSPA is one of the best and commited organisations working in Pakistan
i am a retired wildlife official i would say during my services i have a houner working with sevral NOG’s like WWF, IUCN, HWF, Houbara Foundation and WSPA.
but the level of comitment shown by the WSPA people and thier efforts and hard work remain ideal for me.
i would say that WSPA is most active Organisation in Paksitan and they even dig out the events which Governement fails to do.
thats why the success rate in thier projects is significantly higher.
in the end i would only say
keep up the good work WSPA
ALLAH nigheban hu
Saien i do know that a lot of people just do as you people are doing a lot of noise a lot of shouts and in fact nothing more than that if you people are realy want to do something foor these ppor Bears you will have to first povide some other source of income to these Kalander Comunity and they will only got agreed if you provide some better busines beter earning and beter atmosphere to work upon dont think without this you can get succeed there are bigshots the politicians and landlorords who can engulf your workers withoutout bothring to put salt on it
i think you understand what i am saying
you couldant cause any harm to these guys they are strong enough just do it with kindness and love shouldnt do as you are trying to do
mera khyal hey aap sub loug smhjh rahey hu mein kehna kiya chata hoon
dear friends i would ;ike to aperciate your extensive work at Avion color and pet show it apears that now People around us are waking after a great sleep make them alive tell those who dont know spread this messaage throughout the world
ever Pakistani should know that Bearbaiting is cruelty tell them it is harmful for our environment
my uncle visiting from UK was surprised to see WSPA table at pet show and stated that you people are advancing fastly as WSPA is most acttive in europe and after seeing it in Pakistan it makes sence that Pakistan is developing Fast
i know quite alot bout the work regarding animals in Pkistan but the WSPA’s work is tremendous
i have been watching them since SAF games 2004 and i learnt quite alot about thier work and most recently i heard from Pakistan’s wildlife forum that Bear Populatiion is at its rise in Pakistan and that all is just because of the efforts maintined by WSPA.
they do deserve the apereciation quite alot