Bear Wanders Through Hospital in Virginia

Euskadi1946 · Jun 17, 2004

Better the bear then a pt or staff member.

Why??? The bear was locked up and didn't hurt anyone. Now, pts and staff do take priority but in this case the police were the ones who should have had more sense. But instead chose to be big bullies and flat out shot and killed the poor animal when they should have just tranquilized her. Thanks to the carelessness of some so called human beings who start forest fires, these animals are being robbed of their food and their natural habitat. What the hell do they know about where to forage for food and where not to forage for food???? Sorry in this case I'm on the bear's side!!!!!!!

night owl · Jun 17, 2004

That's a darn shame. That poor, poor bear. :crying2:

leslie :-D · Jun 17, 2004

sounds to me like administration didn't want to take the chance of the bear damaging expensive computer equipment in the room he was contained in. Sad!

HAH, how true! someone hit the panic button rather than call animal rescue league. that really is tragic.

SharonH, RN · Jun 18, 2004

Well at the risk of getting chopped up into little pieces, I have to say that I don't think you guys are being very fair. If that bear had somehow gotten away from security and hurt even one hair on a patient's or visitor's head, there would have been no end to the grief they would have received. They could have lost their jobs, faced lawsuits and God knows only what else. It's my understanding that bears are incredibly strong and who knows if that room could have held it? What kind of wait were they facing before animal control or whoever could get there? What was the bear doing when they shot it? I bet it wasn't sitting quietly or taking a nap. I love animals as much as the next person but I am inclined to give security the benefit of the doubt in this instance.

P.S. I agree that their natural habitats are being destroyed and encroached upon by unchecked development but that needs to be handled at the appropriate time.

nekhismom · Jun 18, 2004

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.

I used to live about 20 minutes from where this happened. I heard from a friend who still lives there that the bear was damaging things before it was confined. The article also mentions the Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries. They ARE the proper authorities. I was also told that there were flash floods in the area, which may have contributed to the bear's wandering.

I think they could have tranquilized it first, but if it was damaging things, and people were in danger, then you gotta make them the first priority.

boggle, ASN, RN · Jun 18, 2004

I am sorry that the bear was killed. Unfortunately, the newspaper article can't tell exactly what was happening at the time the decision was made to shoot the bear. I can only assume that the percieved threat, the fear, the pressure to do something to fix the situation was intense. It really isn't fair for me to second guess the police's decision, or to make assumptions about the reasons behind the decision.

Although I've never been faced with a bear, I have faced tough, crisis situations. We all have as nurses, parents, just as humans. I have made the decisions that seemed the right thing to do at the time. I hope the police officer did the same.

hollyjolly · Jun 18, 2004

does my avi work?

TexasPoodleMix · Jun 18, 2004

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. :uhoh3: I am NOT a crazy animal rights nut but I do believe certain people get a thrill out of shooting animals.....

nurseunderwater · Jun 18, 2004

when I lived in Colorado we had a really dry season with a lot of fires...wouldn't you know that a bear decided to come into our house?!? no kidding...they said he was after the cat food. that was the summer of the mountain lion on the road also. It was right out of a crazy nature gone mad movie..LOL

Energizer Bunny · Jun 18, 2004

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!

Angela Mac · Jun 18, 2004

yeah- I read it yesterday in the Richmond Times and was floored...I feel bad for the bear, but could you imagine what kind of damage it could have done, if it realized it was cornered...or how many patients may have sustained being attacked....I heard that black bears are more aggressive than grizzlies. I worked in a facility and a squirrel got in, I couldn't imagine seeing a bear.

nialloh, RN · Jun 18, 2004

Why??? The bear was locked up and didn't hurt anyone. Now, pts and staff do take priority but in this case the police were the ones who should have had more sense. But instead chose to be big bullies and flat out shot and killed the poor animal when they should have just tranquilized her. Thanks to the carelessness of some so called human beings who start forest fires, these animals are being robbed of their food and their natural habitat. What the hell do they know about where to forage for food and where not to forage for food???? Sorry in this case I'm on the bear's side!!!!!!!

My point has been said better by others. We weren't there, the officers were. I doubt a door would have held back a really determined bear. We don't know how the bear was acting. It was already in the building, and by being there, was too great a threat. If the bear was still outside the building, I would agree, sedate it.