   Bear Farming  Bear Bile Farming, China - Photo credit: World
Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA)  Bear farming is a
singularly nasty form of animal abuse, intended only to harvest
bile from the gallbladder.  To reach the gallbladder, which is
deep inside the bear's body, a connection must be made from the
gallbladder to the skin. This connection (or fistula) is made by
inserting a metal or plastic tube, or by creating a tissue
bridge (in essence, a leak) between the gallbladder and the
skin. This surgery is performed by individuals mostly untrained
and unskilled, and does not meet modern veterinary standards.
Many bears die during or soon after the fistula operation.
After the bile fistula is established, the bear is confined in a
cage, often hardly bigger than its body, to keep the fistula
open and control the bear. This lasts the entire life of the
bear.  To obtain bile from the fistula some bears are dressed in
a "metal jacket" with a collection container attached. Other
bears are forced to li