Adopt this little survivor

Meet our 173rd rescue in Laos, a young moon bear whose difficult start in life left her permanently smaller than she should be. Now, she's learning to navigate a world far bigger than the cage she grew up in.

Rescued from the illegal pet trade in Laos, she spent the first years of her life confined to a small metal cage after being purchased as a cub from a local market. Stolen from the wild and fed a poor diet of rice and cooked pumpkin, she was denied the nutrition, space and stimulation a growing bear needs.

As a result, she suffers from stunted growth. She weighs more than 20 kilograms less than a healthy moon bear her age and will require specialised care throughout her life.

Despite everything she has been through, she has a gentle and curious nature. Since arriving at our sanctuary, she has been discovering simple joys for the very first time — splashing in water, exploring enrichment, enjoying a nutritious diet and resting in a leafy den.

Recently, she took another important step when she ventured into a forest habitat for the first time. After spending so long in a cage, the wider world can feel overwhelming, but she bravely stepped out to investigate some honey before returning to the safety of her den. With patience, expert care and time, we're hopeful her confidence will continue to grow.

By adopting her, you'll be supporting her specialised care, healthy diet, veterinary treatment, enrichment and beautiful forest habitat.

You'll get to name her, and we'll send you a sponsorship certificate and updates about your bear every March and September.

We would also love you to come and visit!

To adopt and name her, we ask that you cover the annual cost of basic care, which amounts to AU$250 per month, or AU$3,000 per year (GBP£1,650 / US$2,000 / EU€1,900).

We're looking for adoptive parents who see this as a long-term commitment and wish to continue supporting their fur-child on an annual basis. You can choose to make monthly, bi-annual or annual instalments.

Email contact@freethebears.org to adopt!