TV legend Bob Barker is appealing to North Carolina's Cumberland County Board of Commissioners to let Ben, a distressed bear held prisoner at a dismal roadside zoo, retire to a sanctuary.

Cumberland County had an ordinance in place banning exotic animals, but rather than enforcing the ban, county commissioners amended their own law specifically so that Jambbas Ranch Tours, where Ben and other animals are confined to cramped, barren cages, could be exempted. A wildlife expert who saw the video footage of Ben said his pacing, biting at the chain link, and pushing his head against the fence were clear signs of psychological distress. 

 
In a letter to the commissioners, Barker wrote, "It beats me how, rather than enforcing this humane provision, the board could listen to Jambbas’ owner and amend the ordinance to allow such inhumane treatment of animals to continue. I believe that you must not have been given all the facts or seen this situation for yourselves, as that does not seem right at all."

Please ask Cumberland County Commissioners to let this suffering bear spend the rest of his days being cared for properly in a sanctuary.
 

Written by Michelle Sherrow

For years, a lone declawed bear named Ben has been confined around the clock to a cramped, barren pen at Jambbas Ranch Tours, a seedy roadside zoo in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Ben paces back and forth over and over again and bites the chain-link walls of his cage, pushes against them, and reaches his paws under them. A bear expert who reviewed footage of Ben for PETA explained that with these sad behaviors, Ben is trying to tell us something—he wants out!
 

 
PETA has been in contact with Cumberland County officials since last summer, requesting the enforcement of a county law that prohibits the possession of bears, raccoons, foxes, and alligators. Jambbas owner James Bass has all these types of animals in his possession, and he keeps them in substandard, miserable conditions. But so far, no action has been taken. In fact, PETA recently learned that rather than enforcing the law, Cumberland County commissioners amended the ordinance in an attempt to exempt Jambbas at Bass' request.

PETA has arranged for Ben and some of the other illegally possessed animals to go to sanctuaries where they will receive the care that they deserve, but charges against Bass may be dismissed in light of this recent ordinance change. Now it is up to Cumberland County District Attorney William West to prosecute Bass when he appears in court on April 11. You can help by contacting District Attorney William West and encouraging him to uphold the law and send these animals to sanctuaries.  

Written by Michelle Sherrow