Talk:Two zoo bears killed after biting four-year-old boy

does this really belong in the "Wackynews" category? 71.247.229.130 03:09, 28 February 2006 (UTC)

This bear thing is "jacked up". So sad..

How on earth can the bears be said to have been "euthanized"? Did the bears kill themselves with the assistance of the zoo-keepers? Get a grip on language... "Two zoo bears put down after biting four-your-old boy". Or killed. Or destroyed. Not euthanized.


 * I agree the language was poorly chosen (euthanasia=mercy killing, not the case here). I've changed both the article title and text. By the way, a report on the killing has now been released. -- Avenue 14:22, 6 March 2006 (UTC)

I think it should also be noted that the four year old who was "bitten" never even required stitches and didn't seek medical attention until hours after the incident. Maymont was not even notified. An actual bear bite would most likely require serious and immediate medical intervention. As a former health official who worked with the Emergency Room that cared for this boy, I have dealt with cases where rabies prophylaxis was started by the staff. They have always shown excellent judgement and taken care to begin the prophylaxis if there is any chance of possible rabies transmission. They did NOT begin prophylaxis in this case. I don't think they considered rabies transmission a possibility because of the mildness of the injury, the logic of a bear trying to taste something covered with apple and the fact that black bears rarely get rabies. (I believe the experts had one or two cases on record.)

The director of the city health department was summarily fired following the incident. She was uniformly disliked by those who worked with her. And outright hated by those who she harassed out of the department, specifically those who filed lawsuits. More than one former employee has suggested that this entire episode was karma catching up with her. A terribly unfortunate thing for the bears to get caught up in.


 * Ping -Edbrown05 07:24, 22 December 2006 (UTC)