New Regulations Needed for Captive Bears

Although this site is primarily concerned with the welfare of big cats, when I see something to do with any animal living in sub-standard conditions I must post and protest. My mission and responsibility as a human being is to do whatever I can to help any animal in need.
Right now we have an opportunity to be heard regarding captive bears and the cages they are confined to. Bears of any size may be kept in cages as small as a dog run. For reference, think of a parking space...or smaller. With only concrete and chain link, these bears show signs of stress by pacing their cage and head butting the chain link fence. We must contact the USDA and let them know this is unacceptable. The USDA is allowing comments on a proposed change to how bears are kept under the Animal Welfare Act. You can go to the link below to make a comment letting them know how you feel about bears being kept in tiny concrete cages. The comment period is only until March 12, 2014, so please, go now and let the USDA know that we want bears to have sufficient room to run and play! Though they are captive, they deserve to have some comforts. Be polite when posting comments. Anger and attack will not get results. (Should you wish you may use and or modify the example letter I copied from PETA's website, which is posted below the link.) But remember, a personal comment makes much more of an impact than a copied one!

http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0106-7118


Example Comment:
I was shocked to learn that the USDA—which is supposed to ensure the humane treatment of animals—allows roadside zoos and other licensees to keep bears in tiny cages and even concrete pits that deprive the animals of the opportunity to satisfy their basic needs and instincts. Bears in the wild have home ranges of up to thousands of miles, yet the USDA currently allows licensees to keep bears in tiny cages, where the animals can take only a few steps in any direction. A North Carolina judge ruled last year that a roadside zoo committed illegal cruelty to animals by forcing a bear to live in near total sensory deprivation in a concrete dog run that USDA inspectors found acceptable. Clearly, something must change in order to fulfill the intended purpose of the Animal Welfare Act. Ensuring the humane treatment of bears requires—at a minimum—specific regulations that are tailored to bears’ instinctual need to forage, explore, bathe, climb, and den, and hibernate. Please implement the proposed bear-specific regulations to ensure the humane treatment of captive bears.