Animals Asia Foundation

Address Line 1: Room no. 301

Address Line 2:

Street - Number and Name: 97 Tran Quoc Toan Street

District:

City: Hanoi

Contact Person – Vietnam: Tuan Bendixsen, Country Director

Email address: info@animlasasia.org

Phone: +84-4-3928 9264

Fax: +84-4-3928 9265

International website: http://www.animalsasia.org

Vietnam website:

International Headquarter:

Mission Statement: Mission and Vision: Asia based, Asia focused, forging Asian solutions. Animals Asia Foundation is devoted to the needs of wild, domesticated and endangered species throughout the Asian continent. Our mission is to improve the lives of all animals in Asia, end cruelty and restore respect for animals Asia-wide. Our Vision: Change for all animals, inspired by empathy for the few. Our animal ambassadors embody the ideal that empathy for one animal can evolve into empathy for an entire species and ultimately for all species.

History of operations in Vietnam: Animals Asia first started work in Vietnam in 1998, encouraging the Government to introduce laws that would end bear farming. In 2005, Animals Asia signed an agreement with the Central Forest Protection Department to establish the Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre for 200 bears in Tam Dao National Park, Vinh Phuc Province. The Centre will serve to provide a lifetime refuge for bears confiscated by Forest Protection Department authorities from farms where they were kept for bile extraction, or from bear owners who voluntarily handed back bears to the government. The Centre comprises a quarantine facility, five double bear houses with large outside enclosures, a special bear care area, an education/visitor centre, administration and staff facility, storage and food preparation facilities, and utilities to service the Centre. The Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre will serve as an educational centre to raise awareness of the conservation and welfare of bears in Vietnam. After a minimum of 20 years of operation, Animals Asia Foundation will transfer the Centre to Vietnam for management.

Vietnam Programme Description: The overall goal of Animals Asia's Vietnam programme is to end bear farming . The main project is the development of the Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre (VBRC) established in Tam Dao National Park, Vinh Phuc Province. The total VBRC area covers approximately 12 hectares, large enough to provide lifetime care for approximately 200 bears and 100 local and international staff. It will comprise a quarantine facility for up to 100 bears, five double bear houses with large outdoor enclosures each with an area of approximately 2500 square meters, special care enclosures for bears with severe disabilities, a food storage facility, staff and administrative quarters, an education/visitor facility, and utilities such as waste treatment facility, power and water supply to support the centre operation. Although VBRC is primarily established for the care and rescue of confiscated bears, it will place an emphasis on education to raise awareness of the conservation and welfare needs of bears. It will also hopefully help to reduce the demand and market for bear bile, and the overall practice of keeping bears for economic purposes.

Years of operation in Vietnam: 5

Projects in Vietnam:

Vietnam Bear Rescue

Local Partner(s) in Vietnam:

Directorate of Forestry, MARD

Tam Dao National Park

National staff: 48

Expatriate staff: 5

Budget in USD : 800,000