Animal Welfare Heroes: Jill Robinson and the Moon Bears of Asia
Animal Welfare Heroes: Jill Robinson and the Moon Bears of Asia
To honour 100 years of World Animal Day, we’re celebrating the incredible heroes whose dedication has changed the lives of animals around the world. For the second feature of this special series, we are telling the inspiring story of Jill Robinson, founder of Animals Asia, and an incredible voice for some of the most exploited animals on Earth. We are proud that Jill is also an ambassador for World Animal Day.
‘Dr Dog’ – the first animal-therapy programme in Asia
When Jill moved from the UK to Hong Kong in 1985, her work soon brought her face-to-face with the scale of animal suffering across parts of Asia. The live animal markets, the dog meat trade and widespread cruelty of street animals.
“I grew increasingly disturbed about the treatment of dogs, especially knowing their willingness to help humans and their eagerness to offer unconditional love. It just tore my heart. Around that time I began to get the idea that if people could connect more closely with dogs, then perhaps we could start something very significant in Asia to help our four-legged best friends.”
Her broken heart sparked the idea of ‘Dr Dog’, the first animals-assisted intervention programme in Asia.
With her golden retriever, Max, she had just one hour to prove her idea would work through a visit with a paraplegic boy at a local children’s hospital. Max worked his magic, the boy’s face was radiant and Dr. Dog was born.
Now, Dr. Dog has thousands of recipients of best-friend love across Asia, proving that companion animals are wonderful friends and helpers of humankind.
The plight of moon bears
Jill’s life changed forever in 1993 when she was taken on a chance visit to an illegal bear bile farm in southern China.
Jill’s First Encounter with Hong – Zhuhai, 1993
It was during a visit to Zhuhai in 1993 that Jill came face-to-face with the reality of bear bile farming – and with a moon bear she would never forget.
Inside a dark, narrow shed, rows of cages lined the walls. Among them was a bear whose presence quietly stood out. Her body was emaciated, her fur matted and thinning. But what struck Jill most were her eyes – so aware, so human, yet filled with fear so raw and unfamiliar that nothing in her life had prepared her for it.
The bear reached a limb through the bars and gently touched her shoulder. Jill held her paw, and the bear responded by gently squeezing her fingers, while they looked into each others eyes and for a brief moment, the bear met her gaze. There was no anger, only an exhausted kind of dignity. That moment pierced something deep inside Jill, and the encounter changed the course of her life.
“I left that farm knowing that I’d never see her again. But that one bear, I named Hong, began something deep and profound.”
The Birth of Animals Asia
In 1998, Jill founded Animals Asia, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of animals across Asia. One of its most defining campaigns is focused on protecting Asiatic black bears – known as moon bears for the lemon crescent-shaped markings on their chests.
Today, over 700 bears have been rescued in to Animals Asia’s award winning sanctuaries in China and Vietnam, and are given a chance to live out their lives in peace.
Remarkably, nearly all of these intelligent, forgiving bears are able to put the past behind them, learning to walk, run, swim, climb and interact with the other rescued bears.
“Bears do dizzy somersaults of joy when they are happy, just because they can.”
Today, Animals Asia is working in close collaboration with the government of Vietnam under a landmark Memorandum of Understanding that declares bear bile farming illegal nationwide. Together, government and NGO are committed to rescuing all remaining bears by 2026. This movement in kindness is joined by traditional medicine practitioners, educators, celebrities, local communities, and even former bear bile farmers.
In China, Animals Asia has long been a trusted partner of the authorities, remaining firmly committed to advancing animal welfare and continuing to play a vital role as a responsible and respected stakeholder in the rescue and care of bears.
In June 1998, Jill was awarded an MBE by Queen Elizabeth in the Birthday Honours List, in recognition of her services to animal welfare in Asia.
A Legacy of Compassion
Jill’s journey shows how one person’s love for animals, combined with unwavering dedication and quiet persistence, can open hearts, change minds, and reshape the future for those without a voice.
This World Animal Day, we honour Jill Robinson and all those who stand with animals, especially the unsung heroes working across Asia to build a kinder, more compassionate world. Whether you’re campaigning, educating, caring, or simply sharing the message – your voice matters.
The animals are counting on us.
To learn more about Jill Robinson’s journey and the work of Animals Asia, visit: animalsasia.org.