Alesha Dixon rescues two bears from nightmare zoo in Romania
Alesha Dixon has been involved in the rescue of two brown bears from a life of misery at a "hellhole" zoo in Romania.
Onesti Zoo in eastern Romania closed over four years ago after failing to meet European Union standards. Since shutting down, the zoo and the animals that live there have been slowly deteriorating. The cages, built only around 2002, are cramped and rusting with cracked and damp concrete floors.
The Britain's Got Talent star teamed up with the officials from the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), and the Millions of Friends Association (MFA) to lure the two young European brown bears with fruit and honey into a transport cage.
She said on the day of the move: "I can't quite get my head around it; these bears have been in here for 12 years with no space. There's nowhere to walk, there's no trees, there's no freedom.Today is going to be a really good day to see them taken out of this, what I can only describe as a prison.
She added: 'I just want to see these bears go on to live a great life, like they deserve to."
They were then transferred to a WSPA-funded bear sanctuary in Zarnesti, Romania, the largest of its kind in Europe.
WSPA and MFA returned two days later to collect a third bear.
According to the WSPA website, all three bears have endured a life of daily neglect in cruel, illegal captivity, living miserable lives in a tiny cage – no bigger than the size of two car parking spaces.
The only shelter is a small den at the back of the cage – not nearly large enough to allow for three bears to rest or escape the harsh Romanian winter snow and ice, and scorching summer heat.
One of the bears rescued by Alesha and the team had been abandoned at the zoo as a cub after hunters had probably killed his mother. The bear was visibly suffering from the trauma; chewing, licking and biting continuously on a metal bar, breaking his teeth and causing a permanent mark on his face.
Alesha said: "I was absolutely horrified by the conditions at Onesti Zoo. I'll never forget the sight of the bears mournfully pacing around their cramped cage. You could tell they'd suffered truly miserable lives - it was heartbreaking that they'd never had the chance to move freely, climb a tree or even hibernate.
"But it fills me with hope for the future that groups like WSPA and MFA are working to end this cruel practice. I hope the public give generously to WSPA's Big Bear Rescue Christmas appeal. I can't think of a more special gift than to give bears like these the gift of freedom at the sanctuary."
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