Dame Judi Dench, Stephen Fry, Alan Cumming, Chris Packham, and Dame Joanna Lumley are among more than 30 celebrities backing an open letter to Vietnam’s new Prime Minister today, urging an end to bear bile farming.

The letter, coordinated by Animals Asia, calls for the release of the last remaining bears used in the bile industry, an action that would make Vietnam the first country in the world to fully end bear bile farming. The charity is also urging the public to join the campaign by writing to the Prime Minister HERE!

A new poll released alongside the letter suggests overwhelming public opposition to the trade in Vietnam, with 87% of respondents saying they want the immediate release of bile bears. The survey, commissioned by Animals Asia, also indicates declining demand for bear bile in traditional medicine, with just 13% of respondents reporting they had purchased or consumed bear bile products, compared to 22% in 2010.

The letter states: “As animal lovers with a deep commitment to compassionate animal welfare, we join the people of Vietnam in their concern for the 150 bears trapped in tiny metal cages, sick, suffering, and alone on former bear bile farms across the country.”

Around four bears are estimated to die each month, making the rescue of the remaining animals increasingly urgent. Although bile extraction was outlawed in Vietnam in 2005, farmers have been permitted to keep bears in captivity. A 2017 agreement between the Vietnamese government and Animals Asia committed to ending bear bile farming entirely, a goal the charity says is now within reach.

The letter continues: “That’s why we are calling on you, your Excellency, to take the crucial and caring step of urgently mandating the release of the last surviving bears, allowing Animals Asia to take them into their care, before it’s too late. Securing the freedom of these last victims of the brutal trade of bear bile will reflect the Vietnamese public’s own support for an end to the cruelty.”

Actor and comedian Ricky Gervais, who previously supported an Animals Asia bear named Derek, stated: “I had to sign this letter, it’s too important an issue to ignore. These bears have suffered for long enough, with years of bile extraction and the horror of life in a cage. As a bear guardian to Derek Bear, who sadly died three years ago, I know the incredible recovery they experience at the Animals Asia sanctuary. They all deserve to end their days in safety and comfort as Derek did. I urge the Vietnamese government to finish their brilliant work to end bear bile farming there forever, and ensure these final survivors are freed.”

Sir Stephen Fry added: “I’m deeply saddened by the plight of the last remaining bears on bile farms in Vietnam. There’s a beautiful sanctuary waiting for them to live out the rest of their lives in peace. They just need to be released by the farmers. I do hope our letter to the Vietnamese Prime Minister means their cages will be opened, and they can be urgently rescued. With four dying every month, there is no time to waste.”

Dame Joanna Lumley stated: “Any sort of animal cruelty or suffering is so deeply heartbreaking to witness. Broken bears in cages little bigger than their bodies, barely surviving the brutality they have been subjected to for decades, is very hard to watch. I desperately hope that adding my name to this vital letter plays some part in helping to secure the release of the very last survivors of bear bile farming in Vietnam. With four dying in their cages every month, these poor majestic animals must urgently be freed.”

Dr. Jill Robinson, Founder and CEO of Animals Asia, stated: “The Vietnamese government is an incredible beacon for animal welfare across Asia. They have done more to end bear bile farming than any other country in the world. Now we ask for one final act of compassion for Vietnam’s very last bile bears still trapped and suffering in cages. We have everything ready to rescue these broken bears, but just need the government to help secure their release. Only then can we celebrate the end of bear bile farming forever in Vietnam. We desperately hope that these last survivors can finally see sunshine and can live out their remaining years in the peace and safety of our sanctuary.”

Animals Asia has rescued more than 700 bears since 2007 and currently cares for 185 bears across its two sanctuaries in Vietnam.

Most bears used in bile farming were taken from the wild as cubs and confined to small cages for life, often unable to stand or turn around. Many endured repeated bile extraction and lived in severe neglect, suffering disease, malnutrition, and extreme confinement for decades. Bears can survive in such conditions for up to 30 years.

Rescued bears are rehabilitated at Animals Asia’s sanctuaries, where they receive medical care, specialist diets, and physiotherapy. They spend the rest of their lives in more than 11 hectares of sanctuary space, where they can walk on grass, feel sunlight, swim, and interact with other bears for the first time.

Bear bile remains a significant driver of the illegal wildlife trade in East Asia and has contributed to major declines in Asiatic black bear populations. The species is now listed as vulnerable, with global populations having declined sharply in recent decades. Ending bear bile farming in Vietnam is seen as a critical step toward preventing further decline and potential extinction.

Help Animals Asia provide lifelong care for bears rescued from bile farming. Please donate HERE!