For ten years, brown bears Misha and Dasha lived in misery, trapped in a tiny metal cage outside a restaurant in Armenia as tourist attractions. With no space or stimulation, they paced, climbed the bars, and banged their heads in despair. Positioned near a riverbank, they nearly drowned during seasonal floods.

International Animal Rescue (IAR) and the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) worked for years to free them. Finally, the rescue team cut through the steel, sedated the bears, and transported them to a mountain sanctuary.

There, Misha and Dasha could roam and rediscover their natural instincts. In a joyful surprise, Dasha gave birth to two cubs after their first winter hibernation — her good appetite had unknowingly signaled pregnancy.

Now, Dasha fiercely protects her cubs, living the life she was long denied. Their story is a powerful reminder that animals deserve freedom, not captivity.