NGO fined 10,000 lei after rescuing two abandoned bear cubs

The "Prietenii Berzelor" ("Friends of Storks") Association was fined by the Sibiu Environmental Guard with a fine of 10,000 lei, after the association's volunteers rescued two bear cubs, abandoned near Biertan commune, which are currently at the sanctuary in Zarnesti, in Brasov County, announced the president of the NGO, Miruna Gritu, in a press release. "Today, April 2, 2021, "Prietenii Berzelor" Association was penalized by the Sibiu Environmental Guard with a fine of 10,000 lei, for getting involved in rescuing the two bear cubs found abandoned near Biertan commune, Sibiu county. (...) Today I felt again that in this country animal life is not in the foreground, that all that matters are the papers under which some hide their incompetence. But because we acted to save them and decided to move quickly to the nearest bear sanctuary, we have to pay. But all that matters to us is that the two bundles are now well and they are recovering. That they will be well and grow up in a place where they will be protected all their lives. We will continue to fight for every injured animal and for every animal that will need our help with the same passion and stubbornness like we have been doing for so many years. And with the hope that one day their lives will really matter, not only to us," said Miruna Gritu. According to the quoted source, the association from Sibiu went to take over the bear cubs near Biertan, at the request of another NGO, which had found out that the bears are sick and abandoned. On the road from Cristian to Biertan, where the bears were, the people from "Prietenii Berzelor" claim that they tried to find out by phone how to proceed from various people employed in environmental institutions. After taking over the bears, the volunteers from Sibiu realized that their condition was not good and decided to transport them to Zarnesti, where there is a specialized sanctuary of bears and staff with experience in rescuing these animals. The "Prietenii Berzelor" association in Cristian is recognized locally as one of the most involved in rescuing domestic and wild animals. "Prietenii Berzelor" signed with the Sibiu County Council a collaboration protocol for saving animals in the county.AGERPRES(RO - author: Isabela Paulescu, editor: Antonia Nita; EN - author: Simona Iacob, editor: Maria Voican)