February 16, 2013

Cherokee elders want bears freed

Cherokee elders push to free bears at private zoos

By Mitch WeissPeggy Hill was outraged. After watching a video of bears endlessly circling their tiny enclosures at a privately owned zoo on a Cherokee Indian reservation, she knew she had to act.

Hill and other members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians began pressing the tribal council to force that zoo and two others on the reservation to free the bears.

Now it appears Eastern Band leaders are ready to tackle the issue.

At a contentious meeting this week, the tribal council said it's considering a resolution introduced by Hill and supporters to revoke the zoos' licenses and require the owners to remove the bears from captivity.Comment:  For more on the Cherokee bear parks, see Feds Shut Down Cherokee Bear Park and "Children Bitten" on PETA Billboard.
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1 comment:

  1. Rob11:26 AM

    For more on the subject, see:

    http://www.thesmokymountaintimes.com/articles/2013/02/20/news/2.21.13.news05.txt

    Tribal members decry conditions at bear parks

    http://www.smokymountainnews.com/news/item/9863-cherokee-entertains-idea-of-bear-sanctuary

    Cherokee entertains idea of bear sanctuary

    Tribal Council for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has postponed any action that would ban bear zoos from the reservation for good.

    A few tribal members called on Tribal Council last week to revoke the business licenses for any private establishments that display caged animals for profit on the reservation and force those establishments to release the animals.

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