Ontario Driver Rescues Injured Bear Cub from Taco Bell, Drives 10 Hours to Rescue Centre

September 6, 2024 TruthUSA

A motorist who found an injured bear cub in the middle of the road in Northern Ontario took it into his van for a 10-hour drive to Windsor, feeding it Taco Bell takeout before eventually finding a wildlife rescue centre to take it in.

The van driver found the bear on the road in Cochrane, according to Myriam Armstrong, executive director at Chatham’s Pet and Wildlife Rescue Centre, about an hour from Windsor.

Armstrong got a call from Windsor Police at around 6 p.m. after they were notified about a bear in a van. After speaking with police, she offered to temporarily take in the animal.

“[The cub] was probably hit by a car because it was in the middle of the road,” said Armstrong. “It didn’t show any injuries, but we could see that it had some trauma just because of the way it was acting. It was a little bit delayed in its actions.”

Armstrong said she spoke with the man who found the bear. He told her the bear was friendly and that he fed it food from a Taco Bell.

When the bear arrived at the rescue centre, staff found it was dehydrated and “in a bit of distress,” said Armstrong.

The owner of a bear rescue centre that took the animal the next day said the animal probably suffered a concussion from a collision with a vehicle, and that it is now recovering.

(Courtesy of Myriam Armstrong) — Courtesy of Myriam Armstrong

Armstrong estimates the bear is approximately four months old and the size of a Labrador retriever. A bear’s diet typically includes berries, plants, meat, insects and roots.

Helping sick, injured or orphaned wild animals

Ontario law does not allow people to keep wildlife, although they may have sick, injured or orphaned animals for up to 24 hours if transferring them to a wildlife rehabilitator or veterinarian.

“We always advise people to not feed them, because you don’t know what’s going on with them,” said Armstrong.

The province recommends not removing animals from their natural habitat and contacting a wildlife custodian if an animal appears to need help. “Wild animals can be unintentionally hurt even if you mean well,” says the province’s website. “Wildlife rehabilitation must be left to wildlife custodians who are experienced, properly trained and have the correct knowledge and resources.”

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