AR-News: (CA) One more call may have saved bear that was shot by police

[Barry Kent MacKay]

[This incident happened during the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend; in fact,
MNR has so cut staff and funding, that it is by no means certain that they
would have been able to "send trained personnel".  The cuts were made by
previous governments, especially the outgoing one.  -- BKM]

TORONTO STAR
Oct. 15, 2003. 01:00 AM



One more call may have saved bear that was shot by police

ORILLIA—Provincial police made a lot of calls in their effort to save a
black bear cub forced up a tree in a bustling neighbourhood in this central
Ontario city this weekend, but they missed just one. 
That missing call to the Ministry of Natural Resources after-hours line
might have changed the fate of the cub shot and killed by local police
Saturday. 

Instead, police and staff from the Ontario Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals worked the phones and called several agencies, including
the local Natural Resources office — which is unstaffed on weekends — to try
to capture the bear alive. 

Their efforts were fruitless. After much deliberation, and as dozens of
residents looked on, police shot the cub, estimated to be a year old. 
Police said they didn't find out about the ministry's after-hours line until
yesterday. A ministry official said had they been contacted, they would have
notified supervisors who could offer advice or send trained personnel. 

"In this case, it was a public safety issue because it was right downtown,"
said Orillia OPP Inspector Jim Szarka. He said in future, police will use
the line if similar incidents arise.


_________________

Barry Kent MacKay
Animal Protection Institute (Canadian office)
www.api4animals.org