The Summit Daily News reported June 1 that “Aspen bear that bit hiker is killed.” This killing was cruel. First, this wasn’t euthanasia as Colorado Parks and Wildlife officer Matt Yamashita describes. Euthanasia is generally defined as a death with minimal pain and suffering.
Sadly, this bear did not die with minimal pain but suffered a horrible death. It was shot once and wounded, then hunted down for almost a mile in extreme fear by hound dogs, and then shot again and killed. Yamashita admits that they’re not 100% sure they killed the right bear.
Yes, we must protect humans from injury from wild animals, but there’s a better way to do it than Parks and Wildlife’s current cruel procedure. Parks and Wildlife needs to use tranquilizer shots to anesthetize an animal so it can be humanely killed.
James Tuthill
Silverthorne