A Conservation Officer has been suspended without pay after he refused to put down two bear cubs over weekend.
Officer Bryce Casavant refused to kill the bear cubs following their mothers disposal – who was destroyed after she broke into a freezer inside a mobile home.
Casavant and the Port Hardy Fire Department rescued the cubs, who were stuck in a tree following their mother’s death.
Once rescued, both cubs were transported to the North Island Wildlife Recovery Association, where they are currently being looked after.
Recovery centre manager Robin Campbell said the conservation officer was correct to bring them in, as they are not habituated to humans and can be reintroduced to the wild – but he still remains suspended.
However, a Change.org petition backed by Ricky Gervais is calling to reinstate Casavant, and has racked up 72,000 signatures. It is currently 3,000 away from its target of 75,000.
Casavant has declined to comment further. But we hope he’s reinstated.
He did a great thing.
