Eleven bears have been finally rescued from living in bear pits in Cherokee, North Carolina for years. The six black bears, three grizzlies and two Asian black bears have now a new proper home at the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary in Texas. The bears were property of Chief Saunooke Bear Park (CSBP), a horrible roadside zoo that lost its license to exhibit because of its multiple violations of the Animal Welfare Act. The bears were forced to live in small concrete holes were they could be seen constantly walking back and forth and weaving their heads, a clear sign of profound deprivation and stress.

CSBP's manager and bear handler admitted to an undercover investigator that workers denied bears food because, "If you feed them, they ain't gonna eat for people." The manager also boasted that he sprays water at one bear "all the time to get his ass up" and force him onto display. He also admitted to eating the bears he killed. He said it took "20 shots in the head" to kill one of CSBP's bears and added "[n]othing better than a bear that's been eating bread and apples all its life. Meat's good." In January 2013, the U.S. Department of Agriculture suspended Chief Saunooke Bear Park's exhibitor license and fined the facility $20,000. Now, after years of endless campaigns from ALDF and PETA, the bears can start their new lives at the sanctuary. (Source : DAN)