Help Needed for “Russell” the Springbank Bear

For at least the last 3 weeks a young black bear has been wandering in a farmer’s field south of Calgary, along Trans Canada Highway and Highway 22.  This bear has sustained an injury, and will not put weight on its left hind leg.

The Cochrane Ecological and Wildlife Society has offered to help this bear who is needlessly suffering.  They have the facilities to rehabilitate and house this black bear.  The Provincial Wildlife Act does state that the Minister may, in writing and in the prescribed form, transfer the Crown’s property in wildlife on terms and conditions that the Minister considers appropriate and that are specified in the transfer instrument.  As the Minister you have the right to transfer ownership of this bear from the Province to the Cochrane Ecological and Wildlife Society.  I put it to you that it is your moral duty to allow the citizens capable of alleviating this bear’s pain to exercise their right to answer to their own moral compasses.

A spokesman for the Government stated that “The best thing to do is let it recover naturally”.  This representative does not have a degree in veterinary medicine, nor a related degree or diploma that would make him a subject matter expert.  It would be impossible, even for a veterinarian, to diagnose an animal and provide a prognosis based on visual inspection from a great distance.  This bear, at the very least, deserves an assessment of the injury.  The bear should not have to live the next several months in pain and possibly succumb to infection, or starvation, when it may well be easily corrected.   Wildlife suffers daily from illness and injury due to human contact, be it our sprawling construction, our vehicles through their habitat, both on our highways and with our off road vehicles.  It behooves us, then, to also step in to benefit injured wildlife.

As an Albertan and a Canadian, I pride myself in helping others which includes all animals.  We live in a society in which we have the means to help this bear.  Our society can not stand by and watch this bear suffer and possibly die a prolonged death.  Mahatma Gandhi eloquently stated “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”

I ask that Honourable Minister of Environment and Parks, Shannon Phillips, issue a temporary permit to allow this black bear a chance at rehabilitation and treatment of its injuries.

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