Pair of bears heading to California sanctuary

Shaunta Grimes

Thursday, Nov. 11, 1999 | 9:47 a.m.

Two bears who have lived at the Betty Honn Animal Adoption Center in Henderson since Oct. 20 have found permanent homes.

Manfred, a 1,000-pound 9-year-old Kodiak, and Tuffy, a 900-pound 13-year-old grizzly, will be taken to the Performing Animals Welfare Society sanctuary, in Galt, Calif., as soon as a habitat can be built for them.

"The habitats are quite large with grass, trees, stumps and pools. They are enclosed, but in natural areas not cages," Pat Derby, PAWS director said today. The bears' enclosure will measure about 6,000 square feet and cost about $35,000, she said. The enclosures will take about six weeks to build.

In the meantime, the animals will stay at the Betty Honn center, where the construction of cages large enough to hold them comfortably is nearly finished. The animals are living in horse trailers while they wait for the cages to be completed.

PAWS is a private, nonprofit organization, funded by members from around the world, Derby said. The bears will not be required to perform or be put on display.

The bears' previous owner, Bill Vergis, contracted Manfred out to movies such as "A River Runs Through It" starring Brad Pitt.

Both Manfred and Tuffy are in the prime of their lives, Derby said, and have "a good 20 years ahead of them." She said PAWS recently acquired 2,300 acres near the sanctuary and the bears eventually will have 5 or 10 acres to roam in.