Dori was merely a few weeks old, when he was found by an Albanian animal activist in an online advert, offered for €5,000. After his confiscation in Albania on 21 March 2025, he was brought to BEAR SANCTUARY Prishtina in Kosovo. We immediately reported the case to the police and other relevant authorities in both Kosovo and Albania.

Since his arrival at the sanctuary, Dori has been under the constant care of the experienced team on site. At the beginning, Dori was surrogated and nursed every three hours with special formula milk due to his young age.

FOUR PAWS explored the possibility of rehabilitating and releasing him back into the wild, but due to his prolonged contact with humans, this was no longer possible. As Dori requires lifelong, species appropriate care, FOUR PAWS has offered to permanently house Dori in BEAR SANCTUARY Prishtina. With bear Dori, the sanctuary offers a home to 18 rescued bears.

Dori's case highlights the serious consequences of the wildlife trade, which robs animals of their freedom in the wild and also creates dangerous situations for humans. FOUR PAWS strongly warns against taking matters into one’s own hands, when encountering bear cubs or other wild baby animals, that seem to be abandoned. Instead, local authorities and wildlife experts should be alerted to handle the situation in a safe, legal way that is in the best interest of the animal.

Dori has grown into a playful young bear, who enjoys climbing trees and playing with the various enrichments that the caretakers build for him. His favourite foods are carrots and apples. Now in autumn, chestnuts are his new favourite food. Recently, Dori was moved to a bigger outdoor enclosure, where the caretakers continue building new enrichments for him to keep him active. We are excited to see how he will develop and how he will spend his first winter!