For nine years, Kelly Ann Walz kept the black bear she called “Teddy” as a pet, raising it from cubhood at her hilltop menagerie where she also cared for a mountain lion and tiger. On Sunday night, she went into Teddy’s 15-by-15-foot steel and concrete cage, throwing a shovelful of dog food to one side to distract the bear while she cleaned the other side. But the 350-pound bear turned on Walz and attacked her. Walz was pronounced dead at the scene.
Now matter how tame they may seem, wild animals are still wild animals. Born Free USA keeps a database of attacks by captive pets on their possessors.
Pet bear turns on Pa. owner, kills her in cage
Michael Rubinkam
The Associated Press