Bucket bear rescue






This is from this Labor Day 9/1/14 We came across photos of a bear who had been struggling with an object stuck on it's head for over a month. We decided to try to find and help the bear. The video is documentation of our adventure.

Corrected news account (KDKA, Ch. 2) of the story:

The bear nicknamed “The Bucket Bear” has been rescued in Clarion County, PA. The bear has been roaming around the Perry Township area for several weeks with a bucket-like airbag stuck on its head. People looking to help the bear created a “Save The Bucket Bear” Facebook page.

They claim the Game Commission was contacted several times, but told them they couldn't do anything about the bear.

This weekend, a group of people headed out to see if they could find the bear and help free it from the airbag.

Dean Hornberger and his fiancee searched the woods and brush for two hours before spotting the young black bear along a road. As Dean was trying to pull the bucket off the bear's head, Jeff Kriebel, Kaitlyn Lakin, Eric Kriebel and Shawn Balcita were driving past and stopped their trucks to help Dean.

They hopped into action to help save the bear. Balcita held the bear down while Jeff and Eric Kriebel started sawing away at the airbag. It took them 30 to 40 minutes to eventually free the bear. After being cut free, the bear promptly ran back off into the woods.

Samantha Eigenbrod recorded the entire rescue on her Cell Phone . She said once the bear was set free, “We all started hooting and hollering and were so excited that he was finally free! Mission accomplished. Save the Bucket Bear now is free and doesn't have that stupid bucket on his head anymore and for that we are so very grateful. I can’t say thank you enough to all that helped free this cub.”