VANCOUVER — A lawsuit filed on behalf of a toddler whose arm was mauled by black bears after she reached through a fence at the Greater Vancouver Zoo alleges negligence led to the attack.
The notice of civil claim filed in British Columbia Supreme Court by the girl’s guardian, Richard Hanson, says the attack in 2019 left her with a fractured wrist, and one of her fingers was partially amputated.
The lawsuit filed last month alleges the zoo and K-Bros Developments Corporation, which owns the property in Langley, B.C., owed a duty of care to the child, who was two years old at the time, given their control of the premises and the bears.
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It claims the defendants knew prior to the alleged attack that the bears had been “vicious” toward people, with a “propensity” to cause harm, and they failed to take adequate measures to ensure the toddler would be safe at the zoo.
Neither the zoo nor the property owner has replied to the lawsuit and none of the allegations have been proven in court.
A representative of the Greater Vancouver Zoo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 4, 2023.
The Canadian Press
