A pair of Russian bears who have been living in a cage outside of a Sochi restaurant for the past 20 years, have reportedly become addicted to alcohol and will be headed to a rehabilitation center in Romania.
According to The Big Hearts Foundation, a British-based charity, the two male bears, which have been seized from the owner of the restaurant in Sochi, have been offered a new home at a bear sanctuary outside Brasov, Romania, where officials said the animals would be treated for alcohol addiction.
Anna Kogan, founder of the Big Hearts Foundation, told the Independent the condition of the bears was “truly appalling.”
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The Big Hearts Foundation said the bears “drowned in beer” at the restaurant for 20 years, as patrons would frequently pass drinks to the animals. “There are drunken people who come to the restaurant, park their cars in front of the bears and throw things to the animals so that they get drunk and behave funnily. They are held in cages — and have been blinded by the car lights,” Kogan told The Independent.
Dzhenkis Uzaroshvili, the owner of the Sochi restaraunt and now former-owner of the bears, denies that anything was wrong with the Bears.
Dzhenkis Uzaroshvili, the former owner of the Bears stated, “It is not my concern what visitors are doing to the bears. I am not giving them’ I give them food and water and I do not to anyone because they are my property. ’understand which type of claims can be made.”
Via The UK Daily Mail:
It is thought the bears first appeared at the Patskha-Guria restaurant about 20 years ago when they were cubs.
To begin with the owner Dzheniks Uzaroshvili charged people to have their picture taken with his new pets. But as they grew older, and bigger, they were placed in a small pen.
Visitors continued to come to his restaurant to see his animal attraction and he started allowing people to give them beer and junk food for entertainment.
Mr Uzaroshvili insisted the bears were being kept in normal conditions, telling journalists: ‘Beer is good for them because they live in such a climate.’
However, a number of local people complained about the treatment and protests were held in front of the premises.
‘Nobody has ever done a normal veterinary examination of these bears,’ said one nearby resident, called Natalia. ‘They do not get proper food, they do not have clean water, and there is only a stinking liquid, consisting of a small amount of water and animals’ own urine.
‘There are also people who make fun of the poor animals. Visitors of the restaurant regularly give the bears alcoholic beverages to drink and feed them with chips, cakes and other unsuitable food.’ Read More…
I’m not normally one of those crazy “animals are better then people” types, but man would I like about five minutes alone and a Louisville Slugger in my hands with the scumbag that mistreated these poor animals.
This story is an example how attending college is not as important as people make it out to be, also how for the most part the bar exam is a complete waste.
