This is Potap, who was born in a zoo in Ukraine in 2008. After Potap was sold, he was kept in a tiny eight-square-metre cage. The ceiling was so low that he could hardly stand upright. It was positioned near a restaurant in order to 'attract' visitors. When the owner of the restaurant had to give up his business, Potap was fed provisionally by local activists.

Today, Potap lives in our BEAR SANCTUARY Domazhyr where he is able to experience what it means to be a bear. He loves to bathe in his own pond, is very happy with the enrichment material provided by our experienced animal carers and enjoys finally being able to stretch his long legs.

FOUR PAWS has constructed a bear sanctuary near the Ukrainian city of Lviv. BEAR SANCTUARY Domazhyr currently covers 7.7 hectares and provides a species-appropriate home to bears rescued from deplorable keeping conditions. Over the next few years, the sanctuary will be extended to cover twenty hectares, with space for thirty long-suffering bears. By constructing BEAR SANCTUARY Domazhyr, FOUR PAWS has created a sustainable home for rescued bears, and is thus assisting the Ukrainian government in its efforts to implement the ban on keeping bears for bear-baiting.