If you have never heard of 'bile bears', then it's time you did.  If you have heard of them, then you already know they are probably the most tortured and suffering animals on the planet, at the hands of humans.

In countries such as China, Laos, Vietnam, North and South Korea, sun bears are either captured in the wild or are bred in captivity and kept in tiny cages (2.5'x 4.2'x 6.5').  Cubs are put in these cages and will NEVER leave them until they die at age 20-30 yrs.  
A hole is cut into their abdomen, usually without the benefit of a veterinarian.  A catheter is then placed into the wound in order to keep it open.  The usually infected wound is then 'milked' twice a day for the bears' entire life.  The excruciating pain that accompanies this practice is unfathomable.

The 'product' that is being collected is bile.  Many people believe bear bile has medicinal benefits.  Currently, the active compound in bile, ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), can be easily synthesized in a lab.   There are also over 50 herbal alternatives.

The bears are fed a watery mash of grain and porridge, and so are greatly malnourished.  Their muscles atrophy since they basically can't move in the tiny cage.  Photos taken show some of these animals don't even resemble bear anymore.  Their hair has fallen out, teeth are broken off from biting the cage, their eyes look like they have gone crazy from the torment that is their existence.  

PLEASE help end this horrible practice.  Vietnam is in the process of phasing out all of their bile bear farms.  They went from having 4500 bear to now a few hundred.  China has the most bear at over 10,000.  Laos and South Korea have several hundred each.

Ways to help include TELLING EVERYONE!  From friends and family to sharing it on Facebook and Twitter.  The more people that are aware and protest or hold a fundraising event or donate to an organization that is helping these bear, the more likely that there will be a change.  Here are 4 animal rights orgs that are actively helping bile bears:  freethebears.org, fourpawsusa.org, animalsasia.org and world animal protection.us.

This issue is so urgent and devastating to the suffering bears, that Munsey's Mission will pass on 25% of their donations to one of these 4 orgs, earmarked specifically to help the bile bear.