Bear cub's death at Goebbert's Farm sparks online outrage

Goebbert's Farm in South Barrington is responding to criticism after a bear cub that was part of its fall festival died over the weekend.

Two black bear cubs were part of an animal exhibit at the fall festival, but on Saturday one of the bears was found in distress in its cage, said Holly Danielson, a manager at the farm.

“The bear collapsed, and it was just lying there,” Danielson said. “The animal people came in and removed him and got him to the veterinarian immediately.”

A local veterinarian did a necropsy — an autopsy for an animal — and did not find any brain, heart or liver damage, she said. Doctors are running toxicology tests to look for other underlying issues that could have caused the bear's death.

The animals brought to Goebbert's Farm for the fall festival are handled by an outside company that also runs Timbavati Wildlife Park at Wisconsin Dells. Danielson said the company has trained staff members with the animals 24 hours a day.

The other black bear has been removed from the farm for observation and is doing well, but the fall festival and animal exhibit continue through Halloween.

“We're devastated and saddened by the occurrence, and it's not something we take lightly,” Danielson said, adding that the farm has never had something like this happen before.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people have taken to Goebbert's Facebook page, where more than 300 comments, mainly asking at the farm stop using animals as entertainment, had accumulated by Wednesday evening.

A petition was also started on Change.org about the matter and had nearly 100 signatures asking Goebbert's to stop exploiting exotic animals.

“People are allowed to post in a public forum whatever they would like to say,” Danielson said. “We take all feedback into consideration.”