Bear Bile Farming Welfare and Phase-Out

Bear bile farming involves invasive catheter insertion into bile ducts causing chronic pain, with humane alternatives making the practice unnecessary.

Key Facts

Approximately 12,000 bears are kept in bile farms primarily in China, Vietnam, and South Korea
Bile catheter insertion causes infections, abscesses, and chronic pain in farmed bears
Stereotypic behaviors indicating severe psychological distress are universal in farmed bears
Synthetic ursodeoxycholic acid and herbal alternatives are clinically effective substitutes for bear bile
China officially opposes bear bile farming but has not fully prohibited it

Welfare Considerations

Bear bile farming causes some of the most severe sustained suffering documented in any farmed animal. Bears kept in cages too small to stand up in, with infected abdominal catheters causing constant pain, show behaviors consistent with profound psychological and physical suffering. The justification — that bear bile has unique medicinal value — has been undermined by the availability of equally effective synthetic and plant-based alternatives. The welfare case for ending bear bile farming is among the clearest in animal welfare science.

What You Can Do

Never purchase traditional medicine products containing bear bile
Support organizations working toward bear bile farming elimination
Advocate for your country to oppose trade in bear bile products
Donate to sanctuaries caring for rescued bile bears
Share information about effective alternatives to bear bile with practitioners of traditional medicine