She was horrified when the tour guide took them to a reservation-cum-farm that sold bear bile for so-called medical consumption. The tour group was warned not to take photographs of the place for fear of bad publicity. And my mother had to endure screams of the tormented creatures locked in small and filthy cages. The bears were beaten, underfed and had dirty tubes inserted in them to drain their bile.

Upset with the experience, she refused to enter the compound further when she realised what the business was about and exchanged harsh words with the tour operator. Needless to say, it spoiled what could have been an enjoyable holiday for her. It has been a while but she still recounts the experience with sadness and anger.

I urge everyone who intend to go on holidays to check with their tour operators to ensure that their itineraries are free of such programmes. As tourists, we have a moral responsibility of not supporting such causes.

Lydia Wong Jui Fang (Ms)