Very few people know that high in the Rila Mountain there is a recovery home for a really special kind of retired artist – former street dancing bears. 12 kilometers from the town of Belitsa and km from Bansko (the famous Bulgarian ski resort), on 120 000sq. m. plot the biggest park for dancing bears in Europe is situated where 18 brown bears have already been sheltered. The latest inhabitant is a bear called Marry, just recently rescued from her owner who inherited her and the bear dancing business from his father. The money earned by the animal on the streets was the only support of the family for many years. It was not until recently that the bear became too expensive to care for and the owner decided to give it away to the 4 Paws association because of the compensation. The 4 Paws crew found the animal in very poor condition and had to give her first aid assistance. Now she is already well accepted by her three room mates- Leta, Violeta and Galia, who have been longer in the recovery centre but still have not overcome some of the psychological trauma of their previous life. The three poor creatures did not sleep during the cold months at all as they were too thin to spend that much time without food.
Now all ex-artists are adjusting to a wild, free way of life and workers at the recovery centre say that the process is long but rewarding. With great anticipation are expected the other 7 future members of the club- the last, still working, street dancers. They will hopefully be rescued by the end of this year and then all 25 dancing bears in Bulgaria will be gathered in the recovery home.
