Petition: Black Bear Shooting in Uniontown, OH

Calling for an investigation of the recent shooting
of a black bear by police in Uniontown, OH

 The tragic incident of a young black bear killed by police on May 31, 2013, as he wandered through backyards of Uniontown in Ohio, can only be described as an unjustifiable, misguided and a tragic overreaction by police officials. Their unprofessional behavior, coupled with the complete absence of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) has led to the death of a young, healthy and non-threatening wild animal—a black bear, who had simply lost his way in search of a mate and food and protected as an endangered species under OH’s wildlife law.

This unnecessary and tragic outcome could and should have been easily avoided. Neither was the police officer “forced to shoot the bear,” nor was killing of the bear “necessary for safety reasons,” as claimed by police, the Ohio Department of natural Resources (ODNR). The real reasons for this tragic incident are the fact that Uniontown’s police officers are untrained to solve encounters with wild animals in nonlethal manners—they didn’t even have a tranquilizer gun--and the ODNR, being unresponsive and unavailable for more than 13 hours after the first sighting of the bear was reported to the state wildlife agency. Why?

Please take action today and request an investigation of the circumstances that led to the killing of a harmless, young healthy black bear, who simply got lost in our urban jungle in search of a mate and food. Send a letter and follow-up with a call to John Kasich, Governor of OH and the Trustees of Lake Township, Stark County, OH, who oversee the Uniontown Police Department, and let them know that you want questions answered.

For more information, please contact anja@idausa.org.