Karen to the rescue for pet project
Celebrities often have strange taste in pets. George Clooney, for example, is well-known not only for his looks but also for his pet pig, Max.
Singer/actress/trendsetter Karen Mok Man-wai joined the club three months ago, spending $70,000 to adopt and rescue a black bear in Chengdu .
The bear, which Mok named Bo Bui Yee ('Baby' in English), was one of more than 100 animals at a bear farm in the city during a January visit.
'I picked it because it looked at me with its lovely, shiny eyes,' she said.
Mok's visit was organised by Animals Asia Foundation, for whom she is an ambassador. The foundation hopes to save mainland black bears from being locked up in tiny metal cages so bile can be extracted from their bodies for use in traditional Chinese medicine. 'We're in such a civilised society now,' she said. 'And we have so much food to choose from so we really should not eat this stuff.'
To support Animals Asia, Kee Wah Bakery this week began selling bear-shaped cookies - specially made for the foundation - in its 12 shops at $40. All proceeds from the first 2,000 sold will be donated to the foundation.
