Black Bears
Ashley, Becca, Shelley, Rosie, Teddy: USDA Confiscation, Ohio - When a breeding compound in Ohio was shut down for more than 900 counts of animal abuse, the USDA contacted The Wild Animal Sanctuary to take seven Black Bears in a covert operation. Ranging in age from several years to 25, Ashley, Becca, Shelley, Puja, Rosie and Teddy lived in horrendous conditions before coming to live at the Sanctuary in Colorado. Now enjoying a 15-acre habitat complete with cozy underground dens, play structures and swimming tanks, these lucky Bears have all but forgotten their enforced hibernation in tiny concrete boxes and the miserable 30x30 cage they all lived in prior to being rescued.
Cupcake: – County Animal Control Confiscation -- This beautiful Black Bear cub was found tied by her neck to a front porch outside Dayton, Ohio. When county authorities confiscated her due to animal abuse by her owner, they contacted The Wild Animal Sanctuary to come pick her up. Cupcake now enjoys life as a Bear was meant to – living and playing in a large open space in our west Black Bear habitat.
Little Bear: Private Forfeiture -- This young female black bear was being kept with numerous other animals on a farm in Iowa. When the State passed new laws requiring liability insurance for exotic animals, her owners no longer wanted to keep her - or the other animals - so they called the sanctuary to come rescue her.
Ellie Mae, Anthony & Sammy: Michigan SPCA Closure - These Bears found themselves in a tight situation when the SPCA where they were living at was shut down, and winter was fast approaching. They all had been orphaned in a tragic turn of events in California – and was somehow shipped to Michigan to live. TWAS was called in to save all three bears and get them to Colorado in time to get settled in for their long winter hibernation. The trio will now be able to wake in the spring and find they can roam freely in one of our large acreage natural habitats.
Blondie: California Fish & Game Confiscation - Blondie was found in the unfinished basement of a house in California as a young Bear. She was either someone’s pet that got loose or was an orphaned wild Bear cub that had found its way into the house – but in either case, she desperately needed a home where she could grow and be with other Bears. The Sanctuary agreed to rescue her and provide her with a wonderful place to love.
Cindy: Private Forfeiture – Cindy was rescued from a fur farm in Minnesota where animals were raised and killed for their hides. Cindy was one of the lucky animals that lived long enough to be rescued when the facility owner died of cancer.
Buster: Kansas Humane Society Confiscation— Buster, a young Black Bear, was sold at an exotic animal auction to a couple intending to keeping him as a “pet.” The couple soon realized that bears are not pets and sold him. He was passed around from person to person, until finally he came to The Wild Animal Sanctuary—now he will never be passed around again! He will stay with us for the rest of his life—potentially 40 years!
Chocolate, Heather, Hercules, Hillbilly, Megan, Smokey, Winnie: –
Roadside Attraction Surrender-- When the owner of a roadside attraction passed away, his family no longer wanted to keep the animals. Chocolate, Heather, Hercules, Hillbilly, Megan, Smokey and Winnie were living together in a 30x50 enclosure before being rescued by The Wild Animal Sanctuary, but now they’re enjoying the kind of life they really deserve in their 15-acre habitat.
Bonnie & Clyde: USDA Assisted, Louisiana State Park Surplus— Bonnie & Clyde lived in a Louisiana State Park Attraction that featured animals from the swamps of Louisiana. The State cut the funding for the park, so the captive animals there needed to be rescued - as they could not be released into the wild since they born in captivity, and would associate food with humans.
Bo & Panda: Private Forfeiture— Bo and Panda were kept in concrete and steel cages at a Taxidermy shop in South Carolina by a man that had decided it was a good way to make money (by raising animals to kill and mount). The man died, and his family didn’t want to keep the bears anymore - so they decided they kill them - but a nearby zookeeper stepped in to save them by calling us. We immediately drove to South Carolina to rescue Bo & Panda, as well as two Grizzly Bears they had there.
Baloo: Georgia Fish & Game—Baloo was part of a Georgia roadside attraction that was shut down by authorities. He was trapped from the wild as a cub by poachers, and had his claws ripped out with pliers. As one of the biggest Black Bears at TWAS (he weighs over 800 lbs.), his enormous size helps make up for not having any claws!
Ben: USDA Confiscation—Ben was kept in a small cage in a remote area in Wisconsin, by a back-woods miner, before being rescued by TWAS. Good food, a better climate, and of course, good company, have given Ben a much better life!
Thelma & Louise: USDA Confiscation—Unlike the ladies in the movie, these two female Black Bears made it out alive—but just barely! While sleeping the winter away, their owner sold his property and told the new residents he’d come back when they woke up in the spring, and shoot the Bears. The new residents contacted the USDA and TWAS for a Bear rescue.
Ethel, Fred & Lucy: Ohio County Officials and USDA Confiscation—These Bears were rescued from Ohio, where they suffered great abuse by the person that kept them—until the facility was shut down by USDA and Wildlife Officials. They are now healthy and happy, romping through the Sanctuary’s Black Bear Habitat.
James, Ruff & Tuff: USDA Confiscation—These three bears came from a tourist attraction in North Carolina that was not designed to house Bears. Now at the Sanctuary they rumble and tumble with each other, and all the other Bears.
Jessie: Colorado Division of Wildlife Confiscation—Jessie was held illegally in an Evergreen basement. Her owners intended to use her for shopping mall photograph sessions. She was confiscated and brought to TWAS by the CO Division of Wildlife. She is now very glad to be living with other Bears!
Kroshka & Matilda: Circus Closure—These two Black Bears were part of a Russian circus act that closed when their owner died. They were so used to having to perform upright, that for the first month at TWAS they were bipedal (walking on their two hind legs), until they learned they were meant to walk on all four legs!
Ben II: Private Forfeiture—Ben was being kept in a corn crib, converted into a cage, as a pet in Iowa. When the state insurance requirements increased on Ben the owners no longer wanted him. Ben now lives in a large acreage habitat with lots of other bears!
Magic: USDA Confiscation—Magic came from a photography studio where the owner would use her in photographs with clients. His owner decided it was not a lucrative enough business and therefore no longer wanted Magic. He was rescued by TWAS where he will always be wanted.
Rusty: California Fish & Game Confiscation—California Fish & Game contacted TWAS about a “nuisance” Bear (Rusty), who wouldn’t run away from people when they approached him. Wildlife officials believed that someone had raised him as a pet and when he got to be too much to handle, released him into the wild…but it turned out Rusty was just sick—which explained his calm behavior. After he recovered in the care of the CA Fish & Game, they didn’t want to release him back into the wild and so Rusty came to be a part of the TWAS family.
Magnum, Cherokee, Princess, Lakota: Private Surrender - All four Black Bears were rescued from a small property in Dayton, Ohio after their owner died suddenly. The Bears spent 20+ years of their lives living in tiny horse stalls with concrete floors. They were also declawed and had their teeth filed down because they were trained to perform tricks and wrestle people at local fairs. Now at TWAS, the Bears do not have to perform or wrestle another day and they just get to enjoy being a Bear in a large acreage habitat.
Smokey: USDA Confiscation—Smokey was living in neglect, illegally kept in South Dakota. She was confiscated and taken to an Animal Shelter, where she was housed for 8 months in a wooden 4 foot by 8 foot crate with only a small opening on the top. Now she has plenty of room to roam in the Sanctuary’s ten acre Black Bear Habitat!
Alfalfa, Darla & Spanky: Contraceptive Failure—In 2004 the standard zoo contraceptive medications used on our Bears failed. As a result, many unplanned births occurred in zoos throughout the nation. Because TWAS does not support breeding of these animals, it was a great shock when these three bear cubs (along with Nadia the Grizzly) were born. To prevent this from happening again, all the male Bears were permanently fixed.
Bob: Private Forfeiture—This black bear was surrendered by an Indiana business that breeds and trains bears for the entertainment industry. Bob proved to be one of those animals who was untrainable, thus he was of no use to his owners and was slated to be put down. Bob now enjoys life with the other bears in a ten-acre habitat.
Tuvy, Pasha, George, George II, Arzo, Crombie, Pumpkin, Boo Boo, Ballou, Ben III, Baby, Gracie, Lady, Murphy, Benny, Newman, SPG: Texas Facility Closure – These were among 25 Bears that were rescued from a facility in Texas that was forced to close. The facility had no funding to feed or care for over 300 animals. With nowhere to go, TWAS was specifically called to rescue all of the Bears and give them a second chance. All of the Bears are now living together in a large acreage and enjoying their new freedom.
Emily: USDA-Enforced Zoo Closure— This black bear was one of 18 animals facing an uncertain future when a Nebraska zoo was shut down by the USDA due to animal abuse and safety violations. Since Emily was rescued late in the year, we had to get her into a den so she could hibernate. Emily is now enjoying life with other bears in a spacious habitat complete with swimming tanks and play structures.
Buddy: Private Forfeiture—Buddy the black bear was kept as a pet by an individual in Texas who bought him from an exotic animal breeding compound in Missouri. When he got to be too much for his owner to care for, Jake was surrendered to The Wild Animal Sanctuary. Here, Buddy enjoys a bear’s life the way it’s supposed to be, with plenty of space to roam and play, and lots of food to eat.
Jake: Private Forfeiture—After being moved from place to place, this black bear wound up working for a living with Rare & Wild Presentations at the San Diego Zoo. As Jake got older and was unable to work, his trainer at Rare & Wild surrendered him to The Wild Animal Sanctuary, to keep him from being euthanized.
Sam & Ginger: Indiana Dept. of Natural Resources – When Sam & Ginger woke up in the spring, they found they weren’t even getting the basics – food and water – as their owner had been called to military duty, and had not made provisions for them. The Indiana Dept. of Natural Resources contacted TWAS to come get the bears out of their swampy enclosure. Now Sam & Ginger are enjoying the good life at TWAS – plenty of food, plenty of space in which to roam, and a dry, cozy den for winter.
