Kelly Ann Walz and her husband, Michael, were known for their love of animals and their practice of providing a sanctuary for exotic wildlife at their spacious residence located near Allentown, Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, a tragic incident occurred at their home, which also served as a refuge for various wild creatures.
Among their collection of animals were an African lion, a cougar, a jaguar, a tiger, a leopard, and two servals. Despite the potential risks associated with these animals, it was their cherished bear, Teddy, that turned out to be the most dangerous.
In October 2009, Kelly was found dead inside Teddy’s cage, not far from the bear’s lifeless body. The couple had spent nine years raising Teddy from a cub to an adult within their home.
Kelly had a specially constructed 15-by-15-foot cage made of steel and concrete, which was being cleaned on the day of the fatal attack by Teddy. This was not the first time they had encountered behavioral issues with the bear.
The Walz family had a method of safely handling Teddy and their other animals by diverting their attention with food while cleaning the cage. Following Kelly’s tragic death, a family friend and neighbor, Scott Castone, mentioned that Kelly had performed this routine countless times before the unfortunate incident.
Scott Castone’s children witnessed the bear attacking Kelly as she called for help. Despite Castone’s efforts to intervene, it was too late to save Kelly, who had already succumbed to her injuries.
In an act of self-defense, Castone had to shoot and kill the bear to protect himself and the community. According to him, it was a necessary action under the circumstances.
Even though the Walz family took precautions in caring for their animals, Tim Conway, a supervisor at the Pennsylvania Game Commission, suggested that additional safety measures could have been implemented. Conway emphasized the importance of having a two-section cage to completely isolate the animal during cleaning activities.
Michael Walz, identified as the president of World of Reptiles Inc. in state records, was associated with a business that was established in their home in 1988, as reported by CBS News.
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