WARNING: This story contains graphic content that may upset readers. Discretion is advised.

Breanna Kettlewell says she was traumatized last week at the Mission landfill after watching a dead bear being dumped.

She was at the landfill site on May 2 to drop off a load of refuse.

sa国际传媒淎s Isa国际传媒檓 pulling in, I saw the conservation officers pulling in with a trailer on the back. So I watched them and they go and dump a baby cub into a pile of landfill. It was really upsetting to see,sa国际传媒� Kettlewell said.

She said she decided to sa国际传媒渒eep my eyes and ears opensa国际传媒� when she went back to the site on Monday, May 6.

sa国际传媒淟o and behold, what did I see? Another baby cub being dumped.sa国际传媒�

The dumping did not take place at the front portion of the site, where most members of the public drop off their waste; rather, it was at the face of the landfill at the back of the site.

sa国际传媒淥bviously, I want fewer bears being shot, for one. I want to know why these bears were killed in the first place. I mean, theysa国际传媒檙e cubs.sa国际传媒�

Kettlewell said she hasnsa国际传媒檛 heard about any bear attacks in the area and has yet to hear back from any conservation officers.

She also said if sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒渁nd thatsa国际传媒檚 a big ifsa国际传媒漵a国际传媒� a bear has to be killed, its remains should be reused, either left for other animals to feed on or for cultural purposes.

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sa国际传媒淏ut mainly my goal is that fewer bears should be killed.sa国际传媒�

When contacted, the B.C. Conservation Officer Service released this statement to The Mission Record.

sa国际传媒淗uman-wildlife interaction is an ongoing public safety issue in communities throughout the Lower Mainland, especially in the spring and summer months.

sa国际传媒淚n the unfortunate event when an animal must be euthanized, the Conservation Officer Service (COS) works to ensure proper disposal of the body.

sa国际传媒淚n more remote locations, COS officers seek ways to dispose of the animal in the natural environment. In cases where this is not an option, such as those close to urban areas, often the only option is to transport it to landfill.

sa国际传媒淚n those cases, COS staff make efforts to ensure landfill operators dispose of the animal where it is not accessible to view.

sa国际传媒淚n this case, the bear in question was a high conflict animal which had recently entered a house in Maple Ridge. The bear was tranquilized and euthanized by conservation officers, as it was a threat to public safety and not a candidate for relocation.

sa国际传媒淭he COS brought the bear carcass to the landfill for burial. The photo was taken prior to the bear being buried. Conservation officers will continue to make efforts to ensure landfill operators dispose of the animal where it is not accessible to view.sa国际传媒�

Barry Azevedo, the District of Missionsa国际传媒檚 manager of environmental services, said conservation officers have been bringing animal carcasses to the landfill for some time.

sa国际传媒淭hey have to dispose of the carcasses somewhere. It could be road kill or other things,sa国际传媒� he said.

The landfill actually accepts many dead animals at the sites, including horses, dogs, cats and more. Only cows are not accepted due to a high risk of disease.

Azevedo said the public doesnsa国际传媒檛 normally see the carcasses.

sa国际传媒淢ost people donsa国际传媒檛 actually go to the actual active face of the landfill. Itsa国际传媒檚 only when you are disposing of something particularly bulky. Most residents drop things off at the garbage dropoff area by the scale house.sa国际传媒�

Commercial businesses often go directly to the active landfill site, as do the conservation officers.

sa国际传媒淭hatsa国际传媒檚 where the conservation officers come. They put it right at the landfill face, and it gets buried in a short period of time. Things are constantly being covered with soil at the landfill.sa国际传媒�

However, Kettlewell said it isnsa国际传媒檛 hard to see the main landfill from the normal dropoff area.

sa国际传媒淲here people usually dump the small stuff, you can just look right over the ledge and see the huge landfill,sa国际传媒� she said.

sa国际传媒淚 just want something changed. Itsa国际传媒檚 not right.sa国际传媒�

Azevedo said people have an ability to help with the situation.

sa国际传媒淎 lot of bears get shot because they become nuisance bears and itsa国际传媒檚 because people arensa国际传媒檛 managing their garbage or their fruit trees. They arensa国际传媒檛 following proper bear-safe practices and if people did that, fewer bears would be shot,sa国际传媒� he said.

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