Two bears rescued from captivity in May 2025 have received urgent and complex dental surgery to repair the damage caused by years of biting metal cage bars and being fed junk food.

International Animal Rescue's (IAR) expert dental team travelled to Armenia to deliver the life-changing dental surgery.

Working in partnership with the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC), the IAR team brought in their top veterinary dentists from the UK to treat Noah and Aram, the two rescued bears.

When Noah and Aram were rescued, their teeth were broken and decaying, and their gums were swollen and infected - a result of years spent gnawing on iron bars in desperation and stress. According to the IAR, there were also videos of the bears being fed fizzy drinks. Left untreated, dental disease can lead to chronic pain, infection, and severe health complications in bears.

The dental team comprised Paul Cassar, IAR trustee and dentist from Chichester, and Gerhard Putter, veterinary dental specialist based in Cambridge. The dental experts have made numerous trips to IAR's rescue centres and treated a range of wild animals, including lions, tigers, bears and orangutans.

The surgery, carried out in June 2025, was both urgent and intensive. Noah, who had already endured years of suffering, was found to have even more extensive damage than initially expected. His surgery lasted over four hours, during which two teeth were extracted.

Noah had a split canine tooth that had fractured down its entire length, allowing infection to spread deep into his jawbone. He also had a large and rotten incisor, which had to be removed due to advanced decay.

Alan Knight OBE, IAR president, who was present during the surgery, said, "Seeing the size of Noah's rotten incisor, it's heartbreaking to imagine the pain he must have been living in. No animal should have to endure this level of suffering. Our team did an extraordinary job, and I'm so proud of what they've achieved for these beautiful bears."

Aram, a massive bear weighing 240kg, also underwent major dental work. He had a canine root canal and two molars removed during another complex four-hour surgery.

The day after surgery, both Noah and Aram were reported to be recovering well and eating, a clear sign of relief from the chronic pain they'd been living with.

Alan added, "This isn't the first time we've carried out dental surgery on a bear in Armenia, and sadly, it won't be the last. We believe as many as 50 caged bears still suffer in silence. They need our help now."

For more information visit www.internationalanimalrescue.org

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