Bears which have spent most of their life in captivity can rarely be released back into the wild. They become dependent on humans, which compromises their ability to survive in the wild and may result in bears losing their natural shyness from humans, thereby posing a safety risk to both humans and animals. Furthermore, many of the bears in the care of FOUR PAWS were previously kept under extremely poor conditions and thus developed various health problems or behavioural abnormalities. The FOUR PAWS BEAR SANCTUARIES offer a safe haven for such bears.