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Vienna, 23 September 2024 – Statement from global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS on the shocking death of bear Mitko, who was kept in cruel conditions next to a restaurant in Slovenia. FOUR PAWS has been advocating for an improvement of living conditions, proper veterinary care and a relocation of five captive bears in Slovenia for years – of originally five bears in need of help, only three remain alive.

"We are both heartbroken and shocked to hear of Mitko’s death after we spent two years and tireless efforts to get him the specialised medical care he needed and bring him to a species-appropriate home. Now, another bear has died from the negligence of the authorities and the bear owners in Slovenia.

Mitko was euthanised one day before the deadline to improve his living conditions, which had for years been inadequate, expired. After the previous veterinary inspector failed to help Mitko, a new inspector was appointed and tasked with checking Mitko’s living conditions and starting his confiscation process. Sadly, Mitko died before he could ever experience a bear-worthy life.

Once again, we demand that the responsible Ministry for Natural Resources and Spatial Planning takes urgent and decisive action regarding the conditions in which the captive bears are kept. We hold the Ministry and their lack of action accountable for the tragic death of bears Mitko and Felix, and demand immediate solutions for the remaining bears – Maša, Mici, and Tim. They continue to live in cruel, substandard conditions and need specialised veterinary care. If no concrete action is taken to relocate them soon, they will share Mitko’s sad fate and die painfully in their small cages,” says Patricia Tiplea, who leads the Wild Animals Rescue & Advocacy team at FOUR PAWS.

More information about the bears in Slovenia and the tireless efforts to rescue them can be found here.