ROCKY MOUNT, Va. - An adult black bear was shot and killed after it wandered into a hospital, authorities said.
The 300-pound male bear was first spotted walking along a street Tuesday night, authorities said. When the bear wandered in front of the nearby Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital, it activated a sensor that opens the hospital's doors.
The bear walked into a computer room and two police officers shut the door behind the animal, said Lt. Karl Martin of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
Officers planned to sedate the bear, but they were worried what might happen if the bear got loose in the hospital. So an officer shot and killed the bear.
No one was injured. The computer room sustained minor damage, Martin said.
This is a tricky one for me...while I DO feel terribly for the bear and agree about them losing much of their natural habitat to us humans, I also understand what "could" have happened had he somehow gotten away from the officers. There is no real way to know what was going on when they shot the bear. From the sounds of the article the bear wasn't doing anything to hurt anyone and in that case, I think it's wrong. For goodness sake it's a hospital, couldn't they have found a sedative for it fairly quickly? It would have been better than killing it even if it wasn't the "right" kind of drug for a bear!
This is not an attack, but ment to provoke a thought.
Would you give that hospital med, and how. IV, IM, or PO. If they had the dart gun to administer the med, don't you think they would also have the correct med.
You wouldn't get near an angry bear without putting your life at risk unless you shot/tranked it first.
I understand both sides, believe me , I do. However, I know around here too often "cops" or authorities shoot first and ask questions later when it comes to animals. Perfect example the "patton smoak" incident. I know of several instances where the cops have gone into people's homes (by false alarm, etc), the family dog simply barks, and is shot.
I can give tons more examples (and cite them) but I will refrain. I am NOT a crazy animal rights nut but I do believe certain people get a thrill out of shooting animals.....
Are you talking about the incident where a family with a small dog was pulled over by police, and they begged to be allowed to secure their dog, which had gotten loose, without a leash? The officers refused to allow them to do so. Then, one of the officers shot the dog when it approached him, in what he said was a 'threatening manner.' Videotapes of the incident showed the dog was probably just curious and friendly.
I fully agree about certain people being all too ready to go for their guns. :angryfire
I am NOT a crazy animal rights nut but I do believe certain people get a thrill out of shooting animals.....
nialloh, RN
382 Posts
This is not an attack, but ment to provoke a thought.
Would you give that hospital med, and how. IV, IM, or PO. If they had the dart gun to administer the med, don't you think they would also have the correct med.
You wouldn't get near an angry bear without putting your life at risk unless you shot/tranked it first.
I value my life too much to even think of this.