Officials offer assurances on animals

The state has a permit process for people having wild animals.
By SARAH POULTON
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Animal parks and wildlife specialists assure the public that proper precautions have been taken to avoid animals escaping, in light of a recent bear attack in Ashtabula County.
On Monday afternoon, a 500-pound black bear attacked a woman inside her home; it got out of an animal compound next door.
Wagon Trails Animal Park in Vienna is next to a golf course and close to a four-lane highway, so it's very important to be sure that the animals there have no way of getting out, park owner Sandy Bertok said.
Wagon Trails is surrounded by 31/2-foot-tall concrete barriers, similar to those separating highway lanes, Bertok said. The barriers are topped with an 8-foot fence.
"Someone would have to either climb 12 feet or cut the fence to get in or out," Bertok said. "I'm 99.9 percent sure the animals won't try to escape; they're all happy."
Adam Guiher, director of Living Treasures Animal Park in New Castle, Pa., said there are three layers of security fences surrounding the park grounds. This ensures that no animal can leave the park, Guiher said.
"All of our animal exhibits are examined daily," Guiher said. "In the 15 years we have been open, we haven't had any animals escape from the park."
In addition to the fences, carnivores have a lock-down pen, so they cannot escape when the doors open, Guiher said.
Must have permit
Jerry Feaser, press secretary for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, said all owners of wild animals must have a special permit. The applicant must have documentation from a licensed professional showing two years of hands-on experience dealing with the animal they plan on buying, Feaser said. They must also provide a letter from the municipality where the animal will be kept and meet specific caging and care requirements.
The caging and care requirements include sufficient permanent housing, a secure locking device and proper bedding and drinking area, Feaser said. Above all, it is the owner's responsibility to see that the animal does not commingle with people.
The game commission must approve the applicant before a permit will be issued, Feaser said. The applicant must also have the permit before buying the animal.
In Pennsylvania, violations of any wildlife regulations result in a summary offense, and possibly a loss of permit, Feaser said. The violator is also subject to any civil litigation, but the game commission cannot issue anything other than a citation.
Ohio regulations
Reno J. Reda, an Ohio state wildlife officer, said Ohio residents must also obtain a permit, and acquisition of the wild animal must be done legally through a commercial propagator.
Zoos are required to have a secondary containment system to keep animals confined, and private owners must have perimeter confinement, Reda said.
The Ohio Game Commission was unable to file charges against the bear's owner in Ashtabula County, Reda said. The commission is interested in stricter laws pertaining to wild animals indigenous to Ohio.
"We as an agency have on several occasions gone before prior sessions of the state Legislature and requested stringent cage and containment specifications that pertain to wild animals," Reda said. "There are lobbying groups that represent the commercial propagating industry that have been able to rebuff our attempts at law revision."
Safety tips
Mel Schake, Pennsylvania Game Commission regional supervisor, said actions of a captive bear are much different from the actions of a bear in the wild. However, if one is near, a person can use the same tactics to distract the bear and remove themselves from harm's way.
"You should never do anything to encourage a bear to be in close proximity to people," Schake said. "If you see a bear on your property, make noise, be seen and back away. Don't run, because you can't outrun a bear."
Do not feed a bear or leave garbage around the property, Schake said. Most black bears are harmless and avoid people.
It is illegal to shoot a wild animal even though it is on private property, Schake said. If, however, it is putting someone's life in immediate danger, the bear may be shot.
For questions regarding wild animals, or to report an animal, Ohio residents should call Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife District 3 at (330) 644-2293. Pennsylvania residents should call the Pennsylvania Game Commission Northwest Region at (814) 432-3188.
spoulton@vindy.com