After 30 Years of Abuse, this Bear Experienced What She So Sorely Needed

People will often say that first impressions can be deceiving, and if anyone makes a compelling argument for that old cliché, it's Fifi. This furry bear may look imposing, but she's actually confident, strong and built like a tank. You'd never guess this just by looking at her, until recently. In fact, you wouldn't even be able to tell that Fifi was the same bear she once was if you saw a picture. But her story began more than three decades ago, at just eight years old, when she was a cub scout. A private owner needed a new house pet and was in search of Syrian brown bears. In addition to Fifi, they also bought a male of the same species called Bruno. The two bears have found a new owner, who already has sinister plans for them. He planned to train the bears to do tricks for money. His methods were not humane, as the result of their ten years of suffering, both bears still live in fear that they will be forced to ride bicycles and walk on two legs. They were neglected when they weren't performing. Fifi and Bruno didn't act as their task-masker would have liked, however. The fact that the bears didn't perform as expected led their owner to try out a different species of bear. He bought two black bear cubs named Pocahontas and Marsha in the hope that they would be more submissive. However, the new cubs proved equally unwilling to perform for him, and so the owner was left with four bears. He couldn't train, even with cruel methods of persuasion. That being the case, he hatched another plan to make some money from his assets. He opened a roadside attraction called the Big Bear Farm Zoo Park. The roadside zoo in Pennsylvania didn't live up to its billing and failed financially as a result. In fact, the Wild Animal Sanctuary referred to the setup as a backyard display, and according to her report by Inside Edition in 2016, eventually the zoo came under legal fire. The article claimed that the Big Bear Farm Zoo Park had been deemed to be in breach of several animal rights laws. In any case, the zoo shut down in 1995, but the owner kept possession of the bear. So, although the zoo had closed, they remained in their cages, forced to endure the most appalling conditions. Indeed, the Wild Animal Sanctuary posted an account on Facebook in 2015 about how the bears had been living and it was horrifying. They had been kept in small concrete and steel bar cages for 30 years. It explained, the four bears only had small rotted wood boxes to lay in, but they were not large enough for the bears to fit into completely, nor did they have an end wall to close off the box from winter, snow, and cold. The post continued needless to say, they were never given any other freedom or exercise beyond their cages either. Then, after being confined to those conditions for more than 30 years, their owner decided to give them away. To be more precise, he put out an advertisement for free metal cages. However, he stated that whoever collected them would have to take the bears too. It was people for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, PETA, and the Wildlife Animal Sanctuary that picked them up. They were so well hidden in the country, no one even knew they were there. The sanctuary's executive director, Pat Craig, told Inside Edition. Furthermore, when the bears were rescued, it was unclear if their age and condition would make traveling impossible. With that in mind, they were given a medical checkup at the scene by specialists who greenlit their transport. However, what these examinations had revealed was heartbreaking. Three decades of standing on a concrete slab with no chance to roam had taken their toll, stated an article on the PETA website in 2016. Fifi suffered from painful arthritis in her rear legs and was severely underweight. Her coat was thin and unkempt and her eyes were sunken in. We didn't know if she could bounce back, the report concluded. The Wild Animal Sanctuary later revealed other mistreatment that had been particularly detrimental to the bears' health. Their owner felt they shouldn't hibernate and made sure they stayed awake each winter for decades, the sanctuary explained in a Facebook post. But under the loving care of the sanctuary's reserve in Colorado, the bears quickly grew stronger and more confident. In fact, their symptoms of trauma were greatly reduced in their new surroundings. Fifi was the first to explore her new environment and she led by example. The first three or four steps Fifi took when we let her out of her transfer cage, she got into the water tank, Craig told Inside Edition. We knew her spirit was going to soar really quickly, although her body was going to take a while to catch up. After a few months of healthy food and good living, the bears were reaping the benefits. In addition, they got to do one of the things they had been denied for so long hibernate. The sanctuary even provided the bears with caves like they have in the wild. They may be in their golden years, but it's never too late to find quality of life. The sanctuary is so happy to be able to give these animals the life they deserve. The sanctuary's public relations manager Jason Maxey says it is delighting to know that people care enough about them and want them taken care of. It feels like a miracle that these animals have never been fed or treated properly, he told Fox News in September 2015. Here, they will get the care and treatment. They will live out their days with good food and plenty of natural habitat to roam. Now that's the bear necessities of life. If you like the video, please give it a thumbs up and consider sharing it with your friends and family. Thanks again, and we'll see you in the next one.