The International Fund For Animal Welfare (IFAW's full English name: International Fund For Animal Welfare) was founded in 1969 and is one of the world's largest animal welfare organizations; its purpose is to reduce the commercialization of animals on a global scale. Exploitation and trade of wild animals, protecting animal habitats and rescuing animals in crisis and suffering, to improve the welfare of wild animals and companion animals, and actively promote animal welfare and protection policies in which humans and animals live in harmony. Since 1996, we have been paying attention to the plight of Asian black bears in China who are cruelly harvested alive for their bile to be used as medicine. Since then, IFAW has had an increasing number of projects in China, working on the welfare and protection of wild and domestic animals, as well as companion animals (i.e. cats and dogs) throughout China.