A woman who helped capture three orphaned bear cubs on Cote First Nation says she wants them to live.
The mother bear had been seen digging in garbage and near homes in the community. RCMP were called several times and eventually she was shot by a conservation officer.
Eunice Ketchemonia-Cote was able to capture the cubs with help from community members. She put the trio in a dog kennel and fed them before taking them to Living Sky Rehabilitation Centre on Sunday.
“We don't know anything about catching bears, we don't know anything like that. We thought we'll just try it we'll just go for it,” Ketchemonia-Cote told CTV News.
She was upset when she heard the news that they will be put down Thursday if a proper home can’t be found, she said.
“I threw up on the highway when I found out, I cried, I started reading my text and I started crying,” she said.
“I had them all night in my yard, I fed them water and blueberries, and watermelon and strawberries.”
Jan Shadick, founder of Living Sky Rehabilitation Centre, said she is in contact with wildlife officials in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Alberta to try and find a home for the siblings. The bears are being kept
on their upper floor, away from other animals and people.
She said she’s hopeful a new home will be found before the Thursday deadline set by the environment ministry.
"Caring for wildlife is not like caring for pets,” provincial wildlife manager Chuck Lees told CTV News. “They have special requirements. The sooner we can get an animal to a proper facility, the better.”
All options will be considered beyond Thursday, he said.
“That would include euthanizing the cubs with the view that the long term benefits of the cubs has to take into the consideration their welfare and the welfare of others.”
