nab / CC

Bob Barker never imagined that he'd be writing a blog post for CNN at the age of 85—but he's determined to help free a group of bears who are languishing in desolate concrete pits on an Indian reservation in Cherokee, North Carolina. Bob met with the Tribal Council in July to plead for the bears' release, and he has now turned to the blogosphere to get others involved:

I told Chief Hicks that I'm not an expert on bears. I'm an expert on giving away refrigerators. But I can tell you that these bears are not properly housed or fed. Cherokee has a rich cultural history and much to be proud of. The cruel bear displays are a glaring blemish on the area, and I hope that the members of the Tribal Council for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will open their hearts and do the right thing by shutting them down.

. . .
Until then, my heart and my conscience won't allow me to do anything but ask people to stay away from Cherokee and voice their support for allowing the bears to retire to a sanctuary.

Please join Bob by contacting Principal Chief Michell Hicks of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and urging him to close Cherokee's bear pits immediately.

Posted by Liz Graffeo

popsense / CC

My most beloved game show host—no, not that one—Bob Barker has once again stepped up to the mic to speak up for animals.

Yesterday, Bob met with Principal Chief Michell Hicks and members of the Tribal Council for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to plead for compassion for captive bears in Cherokee, North Carolina, who languish in desolate concrete pits and cages in roadside zoos. After Bob saw firsthand the deplorable conditions at one of these tourist traps (he was denied entry to the other two), he urged Principal Chief Hicks to release the miserable bears to a sanctuary in California.

Although no promises were made at yesterday's meeting, PETA won't rest until the black bears are retired to sanctuaries. After all, according to Cherokee legend, black bears are the keepers of dreams. No doubt all of these imprisoned bears are dreaming of their own freedom.

Posted by Karin Bennett

peoplequiz / CC

We all know what a friend beloved TV host Bob Barker is to animals. From ending every episode of The Price Is Right with a plea to spay and neuter animal companions to keeping the showcases fur-free, he's never been afraid to speak up for animals.

Not to get all "the price is wrong" on you or anything, but in Cherokee, North Carolina, there are three "tourist attractions" that keep bears in grossly inhumane conditions. The neurotic, hungry bears are confined to desolate concrete pits in which they pace back and forth, walk in endless circles, cry and whimper, fight with one another, and beg tourists to toss them a morsel of food.

What do these tourist traps have to do with Bob Barker? As a compassionate person of Native American descent (he spent much of his youth at the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota), Bob has requested a meeting with the principal chief of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation to discuss an end to the town's displays of bears in pits and cages.

As he wrote to Principal Chief Hicks, "Cherokee has so much to offer, such as its beautiful mountains, museums, cultural and historical exhibits, Native American shops, friendly residents, and casino. The caged bears may have been a big attraction at one time but are now seen as an embarrassment to the community and should be permanently closed down."

To join Bob in asking that the cruel bear pits be closed down, please send a respectful letter to Principal Chief Hicks letting him know that bears should be respected, not left in a pit to languish.

Posted by Amanda Schinke

Khqaonline/Creative Commons

Most people are familiar with Bob Barker's trademark reminder to "spay and neuter your pets" at the end of each episode of The Price Is Right, but not everyone knows that Barker is a passionate animal rights activist who has used every opportunity throughout his career to speak up on behalf of animals used for their fur or flesh, or exploited for our entertainment.

One of Barker's many accomplishments to help prevent animal suffering was to enact a ban on his show of giving away fur coats as prizes. He wanted to have no part in promoting something as horrible as fur, and The Price Is Right was fur-free right up until Barker's retirement. The good news that we just received this week, after writing to the show's producers to make sure that things were going to stay that way, is that the show's new host, Drew Carey, and the team behind The Price Is Right, share Bob Barker's anti-fur stance 100 percent. Here's the note they sent us:

"The Price Is Right," the show will honor Bob Barker's rule not to give away fur coats as prizes. 'The Price Is Right' is very proud that we were one of the first shows to realize, through Mr. Barker, that glamorizing fur coats as prizes must stop."

Right on, guys—we wish you the best of luck with the new show.