Sloth bears in India have historically been captured and forced to perform as dancing bears. Anti-cruelty campaigns have achieved dramatic reductions in this practice while supporting alternative livelihoods.
The dancing bear campaign in India demonstrates that deeply entrenched practices can be eliminated relatively quickly when welfare advocacy is combined with economic development support for affected communities. Bears in the practice suffered chronic pain and psychological trauma from their training and performance conditions. The success of rehabilitation programs shows significant recovery capacity even after years of trauma.