DEEP warns of increasing bear activity after death of family goats in Bethlehem

A sad story in Bethlehem where two beloved family goats were killed by a bear while a family was away.

“This is Milo and this is Otis,” Becky Zielinski said, showing us photos of their family pets.

The pair were killed by a bear a few weeks ago, part of a string of livestock and bear interactions in the town in recent weeks.

“We had gotten an alert on a security camera that there was some activity in the middle of the night,” Zielinski said.

Bears, she said, are a common sight on their property, stopping by to snack on vegetation, or just pass through while the family is out.

They were aware of their presence as much of Litchfield County is, and took some precaution, but didn’t expect tragedy to strike while they weren’t home.

“We knew there was a danger, we had some electric fence up, but we thought a coyote would be more of a threat honestly than a bear,” Zielinski said.

According to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), bear diets are 90% vegetation, but they are omnivores and they will take livestock if an opportunity presents itself.

They have noted a few instances already this year with goats and chickens.

“They are predators, and they are opportunists,” Jason Hawley, a wildlife biologist with DEEP, said.

He notes unfortunate interactions like this happen every year. They aren’t common, but they do happen.

He also notes we are just entering the mating season now, so while human and bear interactions have been about average so far this year, he expects they will rise over the next month.

“We advise people to try to scare the bear out of their yard, don’t allow it to be comfortable there,” Hawley said.

Hawley said it’s on the entire neighborhood to secure trash and remove birdfeeders. Also, scare away bears when they enter your yard.

DEEP said it only takes one neighbor not taking bears seriously for them to grow comfortable and for the chance of conflict to rise.

“It’s important for everyone to do their part in a neighborhood,” Hawley said.

The legislature is considering adjusting the law around the use of lethal force on bears if it's attacking livestock or crops. Currently, lethal force is only allowed if it threatens a person or pet, and you need a permit to use it in defense of livestock. The law could be adjusted to allow the use to protect livestock.

They are also considering a bear hunt controlled through DEEP.

Back in Bethlehem, Zielinski is in favor of changes to allow owners to protect livestock and crops, believing it is necessary for those co-existing with bears nearly daily.

She has since installed more electric fences and worked to secure their pen and a place for the goats to sleep overnight that is more secure.

After all, the family still has two young goats to protect. Both were spared in the first attack.

“Milo and Otis were our family,” Zielinski said. “So it’s been hard.”

She notes goats are great pets, and they will miss their beloved pair. She also hopes Milo and Otis’ story serves as a reminder as bear activity this year increases, to make sure all pets are safe.

“If you don’t think it can happen to you, we didn’t think it would happen to us, take the measures to protect your animals,” Zielinski said.