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Last dancing bear rescued from Ukraine
Kristina was rescued by Four Paws in partnership with Ukranian authorities

Kristina spent her days trapped inside a tiny cage

The last dancing bear in Ukraine can now recover in peace and tranquillity, thanks to the efforts of an international animal charity.

Bear Kristina was rescued by Four Paws in partnership with Ukranian authorities and has been moved to the safety of its newly-built bear sanctuary Domazhyr near Lviv.

The rescue mission took place last week, moments before Kristina was due to make an appearance in Ivao Frankove, Western Ukraine.
Following hours of negotiations with Kristina’s uncooperative owner, police and environmental inspectors decided to intervene and seize the bear.

The bear was moved to the sanctuary where she will now be cared for and monitored until a court decides that she can stay there for good. At present, the confiscation is only temporary.

Carsten Hertwig, a FOUR PAWS bear expert who brought Kristina to her new home, says that while Kristina is doing well under the circumstances, her condition is not ideal.

“At first, we brought Kristina into an indoor enclosure so that she could get used to both her new surroundings and our bear keepers, who observed her behaviour closely. On her second day, they decided to let her into a larger outdoor enclosure,” she said.

Kristina spent much of life in terrible conditions. Her owner kept her inside a tiny cage in his van while she was paraded around circuses and restaurants. Sometimes temperatures inside the van could get as high as 30 degrees celsius.

Time and time again, Kristina’s owner insisted that she perform in circuses or pedestrian areas for public enjoyment. During the winter months, when ‘entertainment season’ was over, Kristina spent her days in a tiny shed on the grounds of fish factory.

Kristina, together with another bear rescued earlier this year, are the first residents of the species-appropriate, natural home. The sanctuary will eventually provide shelter to thirty bears that have previously been subject to abuse, neglect or cruelty.

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.