Martha, the Brown Bear, Is Rescued and Given a New Home After 17 Years in Captivity in Ukraine
Martha spent the first years of her life in a circus. She later became a tourist attraction for a restaurant.
A bear who spent her entire life in captivity is finally getting a taste of freedom.
Martha is a 17-year-old brown bear who spent the first years of her life in a circus in Ukraine. She later became a tourist attraction for a restaurant.
There, Martha was kept in a small concrete enclosure and was not fed well, according to the animal welfare group Four Paws.
Four Paws was finally able to remove Martha from her cage. They tranquilized her and brought her to a temporary enclosure, where she was given a thorough veterinary examination.
The vets determined she had problems with her teeth and her digestive system.
Martha was then taken to a bear sanctuary in Ukraine, joining nearly 30 other rescued bears.
And perhaps that number will grow. Four Paws estimates there are as many as 80 more bears in private captivity in Ukraine.
Related Stories
Trending on Inside Edition

Oregon Woman Reports Having Acid Thrown at Her 3 Times Since March: Police
Crime
4 Federally Charged in San Antonio Migrant Smuggling Case as Death Toll Rises to 53
Crime
Amazon and Some Drug Stores Ration Emergency Contraceptives, Including Plan B, After Seeing Increased Demand
Health
How to Stay Safe This July 4th Amid Steep Rise in Injuries Caused by Fireworks
Investigative
83-Year-Old Believed to Be Oldest Woman to Complete a 'Tough Mudder' Race
Inspirational