When a sheriff's deputy in Florida got a call about a possible break-in, the most he expected to deal with was an overzealous burglar. But when the burglar turned out to be a black bear, which are protected by state law, he went for Plan B...and reached for his taser.
Homeowner Charlie McQueen Smith called Santa Rosa County deputies Tuesday night after finding her air conditioner torn from her kitchen window.
Deputy Ray Dykes thought he was looking for a prowler.
"When I pulled up, I saw the reflection of an animal's eyes. It looked like a little bear cub," he said. "I got to about 40 feet and it stood up, and that's when I knew it was fully grown."
Dykes used his Taser gun when the bear got too close.
"He was about seven or eight feet away when I shocked him," he said.
The bear fell to the ground, breaking the connection with the weapon, which administers a strong electrical charge. The animal fled into the woods and disappeared.
Smith said she's lived in the home since it was built in 1960 and had never seen a bear there before Friday. The bear showed up then and visited several times over the weekend. Smith suspects the smell of fried chicken might have enticed it to try and come inside. A trash pit near the home might also have been a lure, officials said.
If the animal returns, the Florida Wildlife Commission will likely capture and relocate it, said commission biologist Pat Bowman.
Ranger Smith was unavailable for comment, though Boo-Boo shared his disappointment about his friend's addiction to "pic-a-nic baskets".
Why does the black bear have to be attracted to fried chicken? Doesn't that officer know that all bears are created equal? Polar bears, brown bears, black bears... When will this bear racism end?
JoshXXX said:
Why does the black bear have to be attracted to fried chicken? Doesn't that officer know that all bears are created equal? Polar bears, brown bears, black bears... When will this bear racism end?
JoshXXX said:
Why does the black bear have to be attracted to fried chicken? Doesn't that officer know that all bears are created equal? Polar bears, brown bears, black bears... When will this bear racism end?
JoshXXX said:
Why does the black bear have to be attracted to fried chicken? Doesn't that officer know that all bears are created equal? Polar bears, brown bears, black bears... When will this bear racism end?
My Yogi Bear reference has been trumped.
I'd shake your hand if you weren't such a dirty sneaky bastard.
JoshXXX said:
Why does the black bear have to be attracted to fried chicken? Doesn't that officer know that all bears are created equal? Polar bears, brown bears, black bears... When will this bear racism end?
JoshXXX said:
Why does the black bear have to be attracted to fried chicken? Doesn't that officer know that all bears are created equal? Polar bears, brown bears, black bears... When will this bear racism end?
I swear to god, this is exactly what I came here to post! Damn work for letting you beat me to it!
thefreak
NEWSWIRE
Gardner, MA
JAN 05, 2006 09:23 PM