Mary Hutton (activist)

Mary Hutton is the Australian founder of the Free the Bears Fund, and an animal activist.[1]

Activism

In 1993, Mary Hutton started a petition at her local shopping mall after witnessing on television the extraction of bile from an Asiatic black bear. The bear was in a coffin-sized cage with its bile being removed via an abdominal catheter. Within months she had thousands of signatures and regular supporters. In 1995, Free the Bears Fund was officially formed.[2] The petition was presented to the Chinese Embassy in Canberra which evoked public and media interest. Mary Hutton continued to raise funds. During this time she was made aware of the dangers facing the sun bear. Mary was asked to help rescue and relocate some sun bears that had been taken from Phnom Penh restaurants. Her work with the bears spread to encompass multiple species including Asiatic black bears, sloth bears, and sun bears. The fund is active in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, India, Thailand, and Kalimantan.

Achievements

Hutton has been a finalist for the Senior Australian of the Year Award five times.

References

  1. ↑ Miller, Julie (1 February 2010). "Win-win as grandma bears down to save dancing animals". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  2. ↑ "Bears, from tears to cheers: Mary Hutton started with a petition at a Perth mall. Now she and her followers have saved hundreds of beautiful animals from a cruel life". The Northern Star. Lismore, N.S.W. 6 April 2013. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
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