Yellowstone Bear World Ultimately Euthanized Lightning 6010 S

Lightning. On December 10, 2016, staff Yellowstone Bear discovered that Lightning had escaped from the facility after digging under and pulling a World flap on a perimeter fence gate. Yellowstone Bear World ultimately euthanized Lightning 6010 S. 4300 W., Rexburg, ID 83440 after finding him approximately 2 miles away from the facility and “assessing the situation.” Yellowstone Bear World, which was June 14, 2016: The USDA cited founded by Michael Ferguson in 1998 Yellowstone Bear World for failing to have a and is currently operated by his son, responsible adult available to accompany Courtney Ferguson, has failed to meet USDA officials during an inspection. minimum standards for the care of animals used in exhibition as March 18, 2005: Following an inspection established in the federal Animal Welfare during a traveling exhibit in Sandy, Utah, the Act (AWA). The U.S. Department of USDA cited Yellowstone Bear World for Agriculture (USDA) has cited failing to provide the inspector with a written Yellowstone Bear World for—among program of veterinary care, which prevented other things—failing to provide animals the inspector from evaluating whether three with adequate shelter and space, failing brown bear cubs and six black bear cubs to maintain enclosures in good repair, were receiving adequate veterinary care. failing to create compatible animal The USDA also cited Yellowstone Bear groupings and separations that remove World for failing to provide acquisition the risk of injury or death among records for the nine bear cubs. animals, failing to provide animals with adequate veterinary care, failing to October 30, 2001: The USDA cited provide animals with potable water, Yellowstone Bear World for failing to feed failing to maintain adequate perimeter eight adult wolves at least once a day. The fencing to protect animals, failing to facility fed the wolves every other day as a maintain an adequate program of method of weight control, but an inspector veterinary care, and failing to maintain noted that this schedule would typically complete records. Documentation is leave the animals hungry “more than available upon request. necessary” and that weight control could be “accomplished in a more humane manner,” December 19, 2016: The USDA cited by decreasing the daily ration for each Yellowstone Bear World for failing to animal. maintain a primary enclosure in good repair to protect and contain a wolf named The USDA also issued Yellowstone Bear Lightning. On December 9, 2016, Lightning World repeat citations for failing to provide dug under the primary enclosure fencing adequate veterinary care and failing to where some erosion had occurred, allowing maintain adequate records. The inspector him to enter a pen housing other animals, observed that a juvenile antelope was where he ended up between the primary experiencing “scours,” or diarrhea, “a enclosure and the perimeter fence. The common problem in juvenile animals which USDA also issued Yellowstone Bear World can sometimes lead to death.” Despite a critical citation for failing to maintain a evidence that the animal had been suffering perimeter fence adequate to function as a from the condition “for several hours or secondary containment method for longer,” staff had failed to document the {00337783} Yellowstone Bear World condition on the animal’s health record or wolves. An inspector believed the three report it to the attending veterinarian. The dens were not adequate for the six wolves, investigator observed dark, dried material particularly since compatibility issues had adhered to the hair in patches running down already arisen among them. the inside of the antelope’s back legs. An employee reported that they did not see the The USDA also issued Yellowstone Bear material during the daily observation, but World a repeat direct citation for failing to the inspector noted that, based on the ensure that animals housed together are dryness of the material, it had been present compatible after a wolf named Dillon for several hours or longer. suffered a “very damaged” eye because of suspected aggression from another wolf The inspector further observed that after the two animals were moved from an Yellowstone Bear World was failing to follow enclosure consisting of many acres and the written program of veterinary care that placed together in “a small pen.” Dillon’s the attending veterinarian had designed. eye subsequently had to be removed. Two wolf pups born in May 2001 had only received one vaccination each, although the Finally, the USDA issued Yellowstone Bear program called for repeat vaccines to be World a repeat direct citation for failing to given at 12 and 16 weeks of age. The maintain its facilities in good repair to inspector noted that Yellowstone Bear protect animals from injury. On August 25, World’s failure to administer boosters put 2001, a fallow deer named Pete was found the pups at risk of exposure to distemper, dead, evidently strangled by “an electrical parvo, and other viruses that visitors might cord wrapped around his neck.” The USDA bring into the facility. Moreover, the had previously advised Yellowstone Bear inspector was unable to verify whether two World to take action to prevent animals buffaloes had received vaccines as required “from chewing on [the cord] or getting by the written program of veterinary care. tangled in it, either of which could lead to death.” The USDA additionally cited Yellowstone Bear World for failing to maintain an intact August 22, 2001: The USDA issued perimeter fence around bear enclosures Yellowstone Bear World repeat citations for and for failing to provide adequate shelter the following: failing to maintain daily health from inclement weather. The inspector records on site; failing to have complete noted that the facility supplied a single 20- acquisition records for wolf pups acquired foot-by-12-foot shelter for four elk (including on July 12, 2001; failing to have disposition two who were not compatible to be housed records for the death of a white-tailed deer together), four buffaloes, and one fallow fawn; and failing to maintain intact perimeter deer and that the animals’ enclosure had no fencing around several animal enclosures. trees or other natural shelter from the area’s In particular, the perimeter fence at the strong, cold winds and snow. In addition, customer exit did not meet the 6-foot height Yellowstone Bear World supplied a single 5- requirement, another perimeter fence had foot-by-4-foot shelter for two black bears gaps and was not constructed in a way to and three wolf pups, which was too small prevent outside animals from going through and too low to accommodate all the or under it and having contact with animals animals. Six dens, each approximately 5 in the facility, and there was no perimeter feet by 5 feet by 4 feet, were supplied for fence around an enclosure containing two nine wolves (a pup and eight adults). Three bison. of the dens housed individual wolves, while the other three dens were shared among six Yellowstone Bear World The USDA issued Yellowstone Bear World fallow deer doe. The containment gate also a direct citation for failing to maintain was not maintained in a way to contain the outdoor facilities in good repair. The wolves and protect the adjacent animals inspector noted that the facility had not from injury. The USDA also issued mended gaps in the primary fencing around Yellowstone Bear World a direct citation for a deer enclosure, “which could allow failing to maintain facilities in good repair to predator entrance.” The USDA further cited protect animals from injury. The inspector the facility for failing to provide two bison observed gaps in several areas along with potable water. The inspector noted that fences and gates, which could allow the pond that served as the only water predators easy access to enclosures. source for the two bison was green in color Additionally, the inspector noted that a and had “a large amount of thick algae fallow deer fawn had been killed by a buildup.” The USDA additionally cited predator on July 5, 2001, while an adult Yellowstone Bear World for failing to allow reindeer was killed by a predator in the fall inspection of records. The inspector was of 2000. unable to verify whether the attending veterinarian was performing an on-site visit The USDA also issued Yellowstone Bear every six weeks and whether the animals World a direct citation for failing to separate had received vaccines as called for in the incompatible animals, resulting in the written program of veterinary care because deaths of a moose, who was killed following the records had “been inadvertently interspecies aggression, and two fallow transported to Montana.” deer, one of whom was seen being racked on the ground by a fallow deer buck and July 31, 2001: The USDA issued was killed by the buck days later. Another Yellowstone Bear World repeat citations for fallow deer was gored and killed by the failing to include all species in the written same buck. The facility was also cited for program of veterinary care, failing to lacking sanitary potable water. Specifically, maintain complete and accurate health the pond that served as the water source for records, failing to maintain complete two bison was green in color and had a acquisition records for multiple species, large amount of thick algae buildup. In failing to have disposition records for a addition, the USDA cited Yellowstone Bear fallow deer who died, failing to provide all World for failing to properly store food for animals with adequate shelter from the sun, the animals in the petting zoo. The inspector and failing to have adequate perimeter noted that the food was left in open bags on fencing. Fencing at the entry gate did not the floor of a shed.

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