BEARS IN CHINA

That this House welcomes the progress that is being made by the Animals Asia Foundation towards bringing an end to the abhorrent abuse of over 7,000 bears on farms in China; recognises that bear farmers and stakeholders in the industry continue to maintain that conditions on the farms are humane, whilst some evidence points to the contrary; notes that bears are kept for up to 22 years in cramped, rusting cages, with little room to stand up or turn around; further notes that bears continue to suffer in the most deplorable conditions, with metal catheters implanted deep into their gall bladders and infected fistula holes in their abdomens, enabling farmers to milk the bears for their bile twice daily; congratulates the Chinese government's work in partnership with the Animals Asia Foundation in rescuing 247 bears from bear farms to date; and calls on the British Government to do everything in its power to encourage the Chinese government to bring about an urgent end to this barbaric practice.