The state Department of Environmental Protection is standing behind its decision to leave Pedals, the injured bear who walked upright, in the wild while those who wanted to place him in a sanctuary say it was a mistake. Watch video
The state Department of Environmental Protection is standing behind its decision to leave Pedals, the injured bear who walked upright, in the wild while those who wanted to place him in a sanctuary say it was a mistake.
Lisa Rose Rublack, who started a petition to have Pedals relocated, blamed the state Division of Fish Game and Wildlife for the bear's death during the recent extended bear hunt. She said Pedals should have been protected from the hunt. The division is part of the state DEP.
State Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) has sponsored a bill to ban black bear hunting in New Jersey for five years in the wake of Pedals' apparent death. He said bear hunts are "unnecessary and counterproductive."
On Monday, state DEP spokesman Bob Considine said a bear was brought to Green Pond station in Rockaway on Oct. 10 whose injuries were similar to those seen on Pedals. Although the DEP said there's no way to verify if the bear is Pedals, the agency said it appears to be the same bear.
The reported death of Pedals, who became an internet sensation last year through a number of videos on social media, has sparked a new round of criticism of the DEP for its decision to not sanction a plan to capture the bear and place him in a sanctuary in Otisville, N.Y.
Sabrina Walsh Pugsley of Oak Ridge, who started a GoFundMe page, said funds raised on the site would have covered the cost of capturing and transferring Pedals to the Orphaned Wildlife Center. She issued refunds to contributors on her GoFundMe page last December.
"I know some folks are upset," said David Chanda, director of the state Division of Fish and Wildlife. "But let's keep in mind we're talking about a wild animal and it weighed over 300 pounds when he was brought into the check point. He lived a full life. I think folks should celebrate the disabilities that this animal was able to overcome."
Pedals was last seen in late June on a golf course in Oak Ridge.
"It was bound to happen," said Rublack of Pedals' apparent death. "They never listened to what we were capable of doing for Pedals."
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Chanda stands by the DEP's decision that it was best for Pedals to remain in the wild. He pointed out that the bear survived two winters and was fine. He said it would not have been right to take away the bear's freedom and put him in an enclosure. The agency promised to step in if Pedals was found to be in distress, he said.
"I don't believe any wild animal should be put in a sanctuary," said Chanda. "We've had plenty of wildlife rehabiliatators who agreed with that. We were capable of capturing the bear if we needed to. It wasn't necessary. All the reports we received said that although the bear appeared in distress, he was never in distress."
Officials didn't release the name of the hunter who brought Pedals to the weigh station, but Considine confirmed that it wasn't Thomas McCreary, a hunter accused on Facebook of shooting the bear.
The apparent death of Pedals has left Pugsley heartbroken. She is credited with having given the bear the name Pedals. Her GoFundMe page raised more than $22,000 that would have gone toward the cost of relocating him. She has since refunded the money. She placed countless calls to the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife on the bear's behalf.
Pugsley, who has been on a crusade to help Pedals for more than two years, was part of a group that took a petition to the Statehouse signed by nearly 300,000 people asking wildlife officials to help the bear.
A Facebook page devoted to Pedals has been inundated with condolences and tributes to the bear.
"I'm heartbroken," said Pugsley. "I'm so upset and disappointed. At the end of the day, I didn't think anyone would be able to pull the trigger. Yes, he was a bear, and per NJDFW, he was fair game, but I had faith that people would admire his determination to survive and leave me alone.
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"I certainly didn't want to believe the taunting social media posts from people claiming to be after him."
Pugsley believes Pedal's death could've been avoided. She said everything was in place to capture and transfer Pedals to the New York facility.
"When did a dead bear become better than a helped bear?" she said. "Pedals had an opportunity to receive proper care and protection. Sanctuaries and rehabilitators exist for a reason."
"I have always remained neutral on the bear hunt. I just know letting Pedals go to the Orphaned Wildlife Center in New York could have been win-win for New Jersey."
Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.