For every bear rescued by Free the Bears, rescue is only the beginning. Many arrive after years of exploitation and may need specialist care and a safe home for decades to come.

For Claire Davidson, protecting these bears and ensuring they receive the care they need throughout their lives is something that matters deeply.

By including Free the Bears in her Will, Claire knows that her support for the bears can continue well into the future. She trusts Free the Bears to continue caring for the bears already rescued, to be there for those who may still need rescue, and to use her gift where it is needed most.

I have always felt a deep connection to animals and the natural world.

Bears are intelligent and sentient animals, yet so many have endured unimaginable cruelty through bile farming, the illegal wildlife trade and other forms of exploitation.

When I was living in Vietnam in 2009, I saw this reality firsthand. More than 40 bears were being kept in the suburb where I lived, either in people's backyards for bile extraction or in restaurants.

I had never encountered anything like it before. Suddenly, bear exploitation wasn't a distant conservation issue. It was happening around me.

Once I visited the sanctuaries and saw the bears firsthand, I knew I wanted to become actively involved with Free the Bears. Over the years, I have supported Free the Bears in many different ways and formed special connections with some bears, particularly my first sponsored bear Angel and naughty Bamboo.

Rescue is only the beginning. Many bears arrive with serious physical injuries, malnutrition and psychological trauma, and their care can continue for decades. Free the Bears makes a lifelong commitment to every bear it rescues.

Including Free the Bears in my Will felt like a natural continuation of my commitment to its work.

Free the Bears and the bears themselves have given me an enormous sense of purpose, connection and joy, and they have influenced my life in ways I could never have imagined.

Leaving a gift gives me peace of mind because I know my support will continue into the future.

I want the money I have earned over my lifetime to help these bears continue their lifetimes, including bears who may not yet have been rescued.

My relationship with Free the Bears doesn't have to end with my lifetime.

What would you like your gift to make possible?

I would like my legacy to help ensure that each bear continues receiving the care and safe environment it needs throughout its life, while also allowing Free the Bears to respond when another bear urgently needs to be rescued.

I also hope it helps Free the Bears continue its conservation and education work so that future generations understand why bears need to be protected.

Ultimately, I would like my legacy to contribute to a future in which fewer bears need to be rescued at all.

I do not need my gift to be attached to a particular building or project. What matters to me is that it is used meaningfully, wherever the greatest need is at the time. I trust Free the Bears to make that decision.

I have seen how donations are translated into the rescue and ongoing care of bears. I have also seen tangible outcomes from my own financial support.

Free the Bears combines genuine compassion with experience, expertise and a lifelong commitment to the bears it rescues. That gives me confidence that my legacy will be used meaningfully.

What would you say to someone considering leaving a gift in their Will to Free the Bears?

I would wholeheartedly encourage them to consider it.

After first taking care of the people and animals you love, even leaving a small percentage of an estate can make a meaningful difference to the life of a bear.

I have seen firsthand bears rescued from appalling circumstances and given safety, specialist care and the freedom to live as bears.

A gift in your Will is an opportunity for something you care deeply about during your life to continue making a difference beyond it.

Learn more about leaving a gift in your Will for bears