For nearly a decade, Lily the bear was imprisoned in a tiny cage at a roadside zoo. Her living conditions were filthy, often forcing her to lie in her own waste. Because Lily couldn’t move around much, she was dangerously obese. She was also unable to engage in natural behaviors such as climbing and hibernating.

After repeated pleas from PETA supporters, the owners of the roadside zoo agreed to release Lily into the care of the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Colorado. The sanctuary staff and veterinarian had never seen such an obese bear before – her stomach dragged along the ground when she walked.

Since arriving at the sanctuary, Lily has lost over 200 pounds. She’s eating healthy, has plenty of room for exercise, and is now able to hibernate.

“These bears’ incredible transformations show just how much animals suffer when kept in captivity and denied everything that’s natural and important to them, all for fleeting human amusement,” says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Brittany Peet.

Thanks to Lily’s rescuers and caretakers, she finally has the life of a normal bear.