citation_inspection: 9776

An approximately 1 year old male black bear had it's canine teeth reduced and was declawed on June 2, 2014. The reason for these procedures was reported to be for safety and handling reasons. De-clawing is a painful procedure and can potentially lead to chronic health problems when an animal gets older. Routine de-clawing and tooth removal in wild carnivore species for any reason other than to treat a medical condition of the affected digit/tooth is no longer an accepted standard veterinary procedure. The facility must not have claws or teeth removed for handling reasons. In the future, ensure that appropriate handling practices and enclosures are in place for wild carnivores that don't require an animal to de-clawed. Correct from this day forward. Exit interview conducted with facility representative. Additional Inspectors Ranslem Corbin, Animal Care Inspector