KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT/Gray News) – A wildlife agency in Tennessee is under fire for euthanizing 13 bear cubs from an animal rescue group.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) issued a statement after making the decision to euthanize 13 cubs from Appalachian Bear Rescue.
TWRA said that in 2023, several bears at the rescue facility got pneumonia, leading to the death of one and the euthanasia of two others.
They said that this year, two bears in the same enclosure had a similar disease. Those bears also shared a fence line with another enclosure, making way for the potential of the disease spreading to that enclosure as well.
Because of the potential risk of the disease spreading, TWRA made the decision to euthanize all the bears that had possibly been exposed.
Appalachian Bear Rescue said this included five bear cubs in Enclosure 4 and eight bear cubs in Enclosure 3.
TWRA officials said to make the decision, they consulted with University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee Institute for Agriculture, National Park Service and Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife.
They did not, however, include Appalachian Bear Rescue – where the bears were housed and cared for – in that list of consultants.
The rescue group said they are heartbroken over the decision.
“This is the most dreadful news we’ve ever had to post. Patty, Pickles, Mac, Special Sauce, Homer, Diamond, Champ, Sundae, Peeps, Puff, Casper, Shadow, and SuBearu Bear have been euthanized by the TWRA. We are heartbroken and know you are too,” the organization said.
Appalachian Bear Rescue also alleged that TWRA did not perform any testing on the bears prior to euthanizing them.
Many of the bears never showed symptoms and were monitored for weeks, the rescue said.
“On December 10, 2024, TWRA decided to euthanize the eight bear cubs in Enclosure 3 without conducting any testing to determine whether they are positive for the Streptococcus gallinaceous bacteria,” ABR said.
One Facebook commenter said the actions taken were a “huge misstep.”
“TWRA may have valid concerns and the law on their side, and that’s absolute understandable and valid – but to not consult or involve Appalachian Bear Rescue in any of this is nothing short of absolutely disgusting. Why was every other wildlife agency involved EXCEPT for the rescue that actually contained and was actively monitoring them?” the commenter wrote, in part.
TWRA said the decision to euthanize the bears was made in order to prevent the spread of the disease and protect Tennessee’s wild bear population.
“Once an infectious pathogen is introduced and becomes established in a free-ranging wildlife population it is nearly impossible to manage and from a precautionary standpoint, it is better to prevent disease introduction than address it after it is established even if the risk of disease introduction is low,” the agency said in a statement, in part.
The rescue group said although they are angry and heartbroken, TWRA is within their legal rights to euthanize the bears.
“To be clear, under Tennessee law, the bear cubs belong to the State of Tennessee. TWRA has the legal right to take this action,” Appalachian Bear Rescue said.
Thousands of supporters of the rescue group took to Facebook to leave comments in remembrance of the bear cubs.
“I honestly cannot comprehend what I am reading here. I can’t imagine how the staff of ABR must be feeling after all the time and care they have put into these bears,” one commenter wrote, in part. “Rest well our sweet bears as you cross over Rainbow Bridge. At least now humans can no longer touch you or decide your fate.”
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