Before being rescued, Tomi lived in a filthy concrete cell next to the toilets of a restaurant, surviving on a diet of bread and beer and being teased by the costumers of the restaurant. His behavior was severely disturbed, and he had injuries to his upper body.

Since autumn of 2016, he has been living a completely new life at his forever home in BEAR SANCTUARY Prishtina. He's acts like a different bear to the one that once lay in his cell for many years. He loves eating, exploring every corner of his enclosure, swimming in the pool, and playing with the enrichment the sanctuary staff set up for him. In our sanctuary, Tomi is protected and provided with everything he needs to recover and stay as healthy as possible.

September 2016 | Bear Tomi lived next to toilets in a tiny, damp cage and was forced to drink beer. With the support of the Albanian Minister of Environment Tomi was confiscated and brought to Tirana zoo, where he stays until the papers for the transfer are ready. We will bring him to our BEAR SANCTUARY Prishtina where he finally can enjoy his life in appropriate surroundings. A sincere thanks also to Tirana Municipality and Directorate of Tirana Zoo for their readiness to support the Ministry and us! It is important that we encourage the Albanian Minister for the Environment to enact a blanket ban on the cruel keeping of bears, and to enforce the existing legislation aimed at protecting wild animal populations more strictly.