|
Project update
- February 2005
Goodbye Andrew
Dear Friends,
For those of you who have shared our special
moments with the bears over the years, I'm so sorry to pass on
the sad, sad news that we said goodbye to our number one ambassador,
three-legged Andrew, (Anderloo as he is named in Chinese), yesterday
afternoon.
Early yesterday morning, following a month
of eating less and sleeping more, Andrew had a health check and
ultrasound which revealed that something was horribly wrong. Our
Vets, Kati and Phill, began abdominal surgery and found the most
aggressive and ugly cancer I have ever seen in my life. The removed
tumour, weighing 7.3kgs surpassed anything we have seen before
and, because the liver was so terribly affected (with approximately
5% of its normal function remaining), Andrew's blood wasn't able
to clot and he had been slowly bleeding to death.
Even on Wednesday, he ate more than he'd
eaten the whole week before; those soft gentle lips pursing for
another slice of tomato, a second tub of yogurt and a blueberry
muffin, causing us to wonder for a second whether we were right
to bring his surgery forward. So many variables are involved -
and in the past we have felt surgery essential, only to find nothing
medically wrong as the bears have entered a "normal"
pattern of lethargic, inappetant behaviour associated with hibernation
of the species in the wild.
Yet, it was the killer we know so well...
liver cancer; possibly originating from a tumour factor of aggressive
cells connected with the massive infection from damage caused
on the farms - the demon that lurked silently in Andrew's body,
waiting for the chance to strike.
No words can ever explain the grief everyone
here is feeling - we cremated and buried our mighty Andrew at
6pm last evening, with local TV camera's and the San Francisco
Chronicle recording another chapter in bear farming history -
an outpouring of anger and sadness which is difficult to describe
even now, but which united everyone here in the conviction and
determination that Andrew will never die in vain.
I know too that this will be a horribly
sad message for those of you who loved Andrew and enjoyed all
the updates about his life over the past five and a half years.
Andrew was so much more than our ambassador, our friend.... he
was the bear who began it all; our noble, forgiving, gentle giant
who will live in our hearts forever.
Someone wrote today : "You are not
weaker without Andrew, you are stronger because of him."
And we are.
R.I.P. Anderloo, we love you.
Jill x
Jill Robinson MBE
Founder & CEO
Animals Asia Foundation
PS
 Dear
All, after Friday's sad email about our dear Andrew, we all need
some cheering up. As Andrew lay sleeping in the straw on Tuesday,
in the next den, one bear was re-living a childhood he hardly
knew. Six year old Prince was seen nursing enthusiastically at
Bonny's nipple and making the most beautiful humming sounds that
cubs do when they're needing comfort and love. In fact it's something
we sadly see at bear farms when bears too young to leave their
mothers are seen in the cages suckling on each others ears or
even on their own paws.
 With
the two of them snuggled into one basket, and Prince nestled comfortably
on Bonny's chest, she occasionally licked his face for all the
world like a doting mum. Every so often, Prince's face would pop
up from the warmth and comfort of her breast and he'd look over
to his admiring audience with a mischievous gleam in his eye.
I think he only got away with this behaviour because he has virtually
no teeth, having lost them in bar biting during his time on the
farm over five years ago.
In closing, messages about Andrew
have been flooding in from around the world - such a beautiful
testament to a beautiful bear. One person said that China had
lost one of it's greatest Statesmen.... I think he'd likethat.
Jillx
Every little contribution helps wildlife
and remember 100% of your donation will go in full to the project - thank you!
You can also help by becoming a member
of DSWF. Click here for more information
top of page
|
