A black bear cub’s unexpected visit to a “Southeast grocery” store led to a dramatic rescue effort but ultimately ended in euthanisation due to its emaciated condition and lack of suitable placement options.

Alaska State Troopers, along with two Wildlife Troopers and personnel from the Petersburg Police Department, responded to an incident at Petersburg’s Trading Union IGA where they discovered a black bear cub roaming the store’s produce aisle in Petersburg, in the US state of Alaska, on 17th October.

Employing a compassionate steel catchpole, law enforcement officers pursued the cub through the sections laden with fruits and vegetables, successfully cornering it near the shopping cart storage area.

Subsequently, upon capturing the cub, they proceeded to guide the animal out of the establishment.

Following a commotion, the authorities managed to secure the bear in the back of a trooper’s vehicle for removal from the store.

According to Justin Freeman, a spokesperson for the Alaska State Troopers, the cub was rescued but ultimately euthanised.

Freeman explained: “In coordination with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, we euthanised the bear for a variety of factors.

“The bear was small and emaciated for this time of year. It did not have any measure of fat that would have sustained it through the winter.

“It was also abandoned, for unknown reasons, and therefore did not have any way to significantly acquire resources to recover from its condition.”

A small bear would not likely be able to handle the stress of transportation to a holding facility, and no known facilities had a placement for a black bear.”