Ukranian animal rights group rescues baby bear subjected to 'dance torture' by Euro 2012 tourists

London -  A Ukranian animal charity has rescued a baby bear which was tortured by zoo keepers for the entertainment of tourists during the Euro 2012.

Nastia, the five-month-old bear cub, had been illegally sold by Lutsk zoo to animal traders in Vinnytsia, Ukraine and was being made to perform.

Campaigners from animal charity Four Paws released a distressing footage, which showed the young bear being grabbed by the neck and shoved into a tiny box, as her mother frantically paced her cage unable to intervene.

According to the Daily Mail, Four Paws took the help of Ukrainian authorities and have managed to free Nastia.

The footage reportedly shows that while the baby bear is screaming, the mother bear was shown racing around the cage and throwing herself at the metal mesh in a bid to get back to her cub, who is then pushed down into a wooden box while it is still shrieking, and is nailed shut with a wire cover.

Officials are now hoping to reunite the bear with its mother, although there are concerns that after so long apart the female may not recognise her offspring.

Dr. Amir Khalil, who examined Nastia after she was rescued, said that the baby cub was malnourished and was suffering from diarrhea.
 
"I was horrified to see the cruel treatment of Nastia and I am relieved that we could rescue her. But there is still so much work for us to do," he said.
 
"A baby bear in the wild usually spends two years with its mother. Taking it away so young would leave the tiny bear traumatized," he added.