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“You can’t un-see things,” this is what Dr.med. Jill Robinson, Founder and CEO of Animals Asia Foundation, says about her experience walking into a Bear Farm in the South of China back in 1993.
Recording with Jill Robinson, Founder of Animals Asia Foundation
A Fateful visit to a Bear Farm in South China
There Jill experienced the gruesome conditions, and abuse of moon bears first hand. She has been fighting for animal’s welfare as long as she can think of, already before the fateful visit to the Bear Farm, but something happened on this day back in 1993 that gripped her. The connection she felt to one particular bear in these devastating surroundings changed everything.
In this episode, you will hear about her touching founding story of Animals Asia Foundation and their mission to end the farming of bears for bile in China and Vietnam, to provide sanctuaries for bears and to end suffering and ensure human treatment of dogs and cats.
People say about Jill that she is changing lives of millions of people around the world just by caring and that there is no walking away from her because she is too precious. After meeting her in person, we understand why.
We go back to that fateful day in 1993 when she first set foot on this gruesome Bear Farm.
“My natural instinct was just being so angry,”Jill shares.
She was in shock. As soon as she realised there is a herbal alternative that can take the place of Bear Bile she knew Bear Farming was even more unnecessary and from that moment on, she has been on a mission to end Bear Bile Farming forever. She never looked back.
From the early days to growing their impact all over Asia
In this interview, Jill shares with our listeners the hardest part about starting out and what motivates her to push ahead. Today Animals Asia counts over 300 staff, with many of them looking after over 600 bears in their award-winning sanctuaries in China and Vietnam.
She is proud that their impact grows continuously and draws motivation from milestones along the way, like the announcement of the end of bear bile farming in the next five years in Vietnam – a result of their many years of hard work raising awareness in the region.
You have to take each success and celebrate them and use that as motivation. Share on X
Jill has been engaged in animal welfare in China since the mid 80ies and the positive development she has experienced over the past decades, makes her keep going. Back then, there was only one animal welfare group in China; now there are a more than 150.
I’m a complete optimist, and you have to be in this business. Share on X
Bear Emmy in the Animals Asia Sanctuary. Photo Credit: Animals Asia Foundation
A life-changing experience
People that have been to the Animals Asia bear sanctuaries tend to describe their visit as life-changing. It is a place of peace and energy radiating from these majestic, charismatic creatures.
As if Jill is not already busy enough running Animals Asia Foundation, she is also heavily involved in programmes her team is implementing under the concept of “animal welfare through people welfare.”
“We can’t turn away now. We’ve started it.We have so much to finish.”
The impact that animals have on people’s health is immense. In 1991 she started a programme called Doctor Dog, an animal therapy programme that sends dogs to hospitals, disabled centres, elderly homes and orphanages. Now they operate in 7 countries in Asia and the doctors as well as the patients attest to the positive impact of this therapy. Another innovative programme, Professor Paws teaches children the importance of kindness and compassion.
She has a lot of valuable advice to share with changemakers out there. One of our favourites is her call to learn to live with frustrations.
“Shake off the hardships and move on,” says Jill Robinson Share on X
A very humble movie star
We can understand why Producer Andrew Telling and movie director Peter Egan wanted to make a documentary about Jill. She felt terrible at first standing in front of the camera but the result is spectacular. The documentary portrays the dedication of the whole Animals Asia team, who are not merely colleagues, they are a family.
“I loved putting our staff under the spotlight as well because we have so much amazing staff all over the world,” says Jill about the documentary “Jill Robinson-To the Moon and back“
There is a humbleness about Jill that draws you in. We recorded in a cramped room in their Hong Kong office, where they currently store donated art pieces for their upcoming Fundraising Gala. But as soon as you start listening to Jill’s story you are transported to her sanctuaries where bears are treated with the respect they deserve – until their final days and beyond.
#impACT – Take action!
- Head over to the Animals Asia website, get inspired and get involved if Jill’s story touched you.
- Follow Animals Asia on Facebook, Twitter and Youtube.
- If you are in Hong Kong you are invited to join their Animals Asia Bear Tales Gala on October 14th. Tickets are for sale now. Find more information here.
- Donate now to help Animals Asia help animals in Asia.
- Watch the documentary “Jill Robinson to the Moon and back” here.
