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I am sitting here enraged and wanted to know if I am alone in this .My best friend Mary Dowd posted me a copy of Teddy Bear and friends as there was an article on her bears in it(very nice I might add).
I came across an article by Dee Hockenberry on a visit to Russia.
Firstly I was horrified to see her pictured with an ape sitting in a party frock on her knee???!!!As an animal lover I find this deeply offensive.
I read her article and could not believe she recommends a visit to The Moscow circus to see "dancing bears".She adds they are adorable and well cared for.!!!I think the only well cared for bears are in the forrest roaming free or in sanctuaries.Let me say I am in no way condemning Russia's animal welfare.In the U.K we have not got a perfect record but have abolished almost all performing wild animals in circuses.I just feel as people who love ,collect and make bears we owe it to the real bears not to condone this kind of treatment.No animal deserves this degredation!!!dancing for our amusement or wearing human clothes.
I am also disgusted at the magazine publishing this.Bears have given us so much as collectors and artists and the magazine exists because of peoples love for them.Sorry I had to vent !!!I feel so sickened by this.
Almost every teddy bear artist I know strives to give something back to the real bears .Thousands of pounds have been raised by the shop Abracadabra by auctioning off artist bears and customers have donated some of their collections.These same people will buy this magazine !!1It just does not seem right.
I am sorry for ranting on it has upset me so much.Sorry to0 angry for spellcheck tonight
Diane
WienDiane,
well, I know our world is far from good, and will probably never be, even if everybody is the change he wants to see in the world.
To think your idea, that ALL people creating teddies do have a better understanding for the big brothers in nature or captivity, is simply untrue. But: you are completely right: a specialised journal should actually be more selective in what they show the public.
Maybe Dee does not know, how bears are brought to what we call "dancing" . A big bear does not simply start lifting his legs and jump around because he gets gooddies for that.
So maybe we should not be too harsh on Dee, she might not know that most chimpanzees´ teeth are pulled in captivity because they are simply wild animals that act wild and are actually ( even though they have such cute expressions) very aggessive and snappish.
This is not her fault not to know, what tortures animals in a circus have to go through, the more I think that journals like Teddy Bear & friends have the duty to pick up the matter and report over these situations. I bet a lot of people have no clue about this. Or should teddybear journals just show us an ideal world?
And I perfectly well understand your anger about this journal´s ignorance. ( Yes,that´s what it is).
Gaby 
Diane,
well, I know our world is far from good, and will probably never be, even if everybody is the change he wants to see in the world.
To think your idea, that ALL people creating teddies do have a better understanding for the big brothers in nature or captivity, is simply untrue. But: you are completely right: a specialised journal should actually be more selective in what they show the public.
Maybe Dee does not know, how bears are brought to what we call "dancing" . A big bear does not simply start lifting his legs and jump around because he gets gooddies for that.
So maybe we should not be too harsh on Dee, she might not know that most chimpanzees´ teeth are pulled in captivity because they are simply wild animals that act wild and are actually ( even though they have such cute expressions) very aggessive and snappish.
This is not her fault not to know, what tortures animals in a circus have to go through, the more I think that journals like Teddy Bear & friends have the duty to pick up the matter and report over these situations. I bet a lot of people have no clue about this. Or should teddybear journals just show us an ideal world?And I perfectly well understand your anger about this journal´s ignorance. ( Yes,that´s what it is).
Gaby :rose:
Well said Gaby,
I have been enraged all day and cannot put it out of my mind.Ignorance it is I agree .I sent an e-mail to the magazine just to make me feel better.I am perhaps thinking most bear artists are like minded.I do feel a magazine that exhists purely to satisfy bear collectors and artists should show the animal they are based on the respect it deserves.It distresses me to see any animal in captivity let alone degraded.Maybe one day everyone will feel this way,we can but hope.Your response has made me feel a bit better thanks.
Diane xxx
Newcastle, OntarioHi Diane,
I'm surprised and disappointed at the article in Teddy Bear and Friends. They have written articles on the Moon bears and it really seems like a conflict of interest. I also have a problem with seeing any animals in captivity, even though it seems that's the only way we (or our children) will ever see some of them. It's hard enough to see animals in the zoo, even though nowadays, they are kept under habitat as close to their own natural habitat, as possible. I would NEVER, EVER pay to see a circus with any perfoming animals. It just upsets me to much. I certainly understand your rage at seeing this in a teddy bear magazine. I don't buy too many of the magazines any more, so I doubt if I will see the article, but I hope all of those who do see it and are upset, will wirte the the magazine as well. Take care and bye for now.
Big hugs,
Brenda
LuxembearsI too wish that performing animals in circuses would be abolished in our country. I find it degrading to see gorgeous majestic tigers made to sit up a beg like a house dog...and elephants used as rides. I am embarrassed that America still allows this. It is an absolute abuse of "freedom". 
Gatehouse GalleryI haven't seen the article, as it takes a few months for the magazine to arrive in 'Oz', but in addition to venting our opinions on this forum, we should tell TB&F how we feel. I, for one, wouldn't feel good about advertising in a mag that promoted the use of wild animals in this way....maybe others feel the same about buying magazines that do this, but we need to point out the advantages to them in being responsible in reporting the news and that, probably thru their ignorance, they have upset and angered a proportion of their target market.
I am cheered by the fact that some of you feel the same way.I hope the magazine gets letters form more people.I cannot imagine many people would read that and not be outraged.
Diane xxx
Posts: 3,177Ummmmmm............how strange and uninformed the article sounds. I won't be buying the mag.
I like my bears wild and free, which is why i only get to see them in wildlife programmes on the TV - i'd be too scared to go and see them in reality. Which to me is just self preservation good sense!
Penny :hug:
Baird'sBears Most Bizarre!
I haven't yet received my copy, but this article sounds all wrong.
Diane, I'm not at all surprised that you're so angry!
I would hope that anyone in the TeddyBear world had the sense to know that teddy bears and real bears are very different species. Part of the magic of Teddies is the way they capture something of the wild beast in effigy, and maybe the air of wisdom and strength we see in Teddies is akin to what Native Americans saw in the wild bear.
I've heard of people who nurtured abandoned cubs, some who kept them as family members for life, but this is different. As soon as you cross the line from rescuer to exploiter, and begin to use any creature for human amusement or vanity (thinking MoonBears), they become pitiful victims.
I can certainly understand anyone's desire to come close to a real bear, but every encounter I've had with a zoo animal has left me feeling a very painful combination of pleasure and shame. I don't visit zoos anymore.
I do think that if TB&F wanted a feature on real bears, it could have found plenty of appealing material about bears in the wild that didn't involve this kind of exploitation.
Eileen
DoodlebearsI don't know what I could add to all this. I agree that animals should NOT be used to entertain humans. They should be left to live their lives in their natural habitat. I do agree with some animals being taken to consevation sites to help save the species like the pandas, orangutans, etc. Maybe we should all get together and let Teddy Bear and friends know just the effect that the article has had on us. I don't think for one minute that they were aware of the impact that the article would have on us animal lovers. Thanks Nettie for bringing this to us and making us aware of this important issue.
Hugs Jane.
Flying Fur StudiosI'm shocked.
That is just nasty. I don't even know to go into how wrong it is to use animals like toys.
I bet if we all write a letter, they''ll never publish anything like that again!
It's nice to know, everyone else feels this way. I also have hard time going to the zoo, or keeping a caged pet.
