The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1903-09-10
LASSo GEAR FOR OPERATION.
Also an Experience of Keepers Of
Two GRAY Wolves.

brute in n or the other of our big
'%zoos,' but of the equally interesting
adventures which some Of the keep
ers have with their beasts nothing
much is published" said a veterinary
surgeon in the New York Times. Il
don't know Why animal men should
feel so, but it seems the law in every
menagerie that nothing that would
show trouble in managing the big
beasts, must leak out if it "a be
helped.
"Not long ago there was a danger
Gus operation that left but little time
to think in the, casc of Bruno. n OF
the Central park grizzly bears. In
some inexplicable way the big brute
had managed to get hold of the end
of a piece of bale wire which some
spectator must have dragged after
him from the rubbish heap behind
the buffalo ranges. 1t was all the big
gray clown wanted to make life hap
py. He pulled the wire through the
bars, got it wrapped about his fore
paws and the thick hair on his back
and when discovered he was fighting
mad tearing at the invisible foe who
was tightening 0 and more on
him and was cutting deep into his
flesh.
"The alarm that something had
gone wrong with the dangerous brute
reached the elephant house; and
Billy Snyder came on a run with as
sistants, %lassos, and tackle ready to
capture the bear, which, it was
thought, had gone into commissions.
The object was to enter the bears
den, to lasso the grizzly, and after
he was safely secured to examine
him, and, if necessary, to give him a
dose of medicine to help him over
the fit.
"The bear was finally ropcd about
the forelegs, and, swapping and
snarling and striking with his hind
paws, was dragged till his legs coult
be secured by slings and till a
chloroform bag could be slipped over
his head. Within a few minutes he
was under the effect of the drug and
it became safe to so near him, but
wire nippers, not medicine for con-
WILSON'S, was what was needed to re-
establish his peace of mind. The
wire had, twisted into the thick pelt
of hair and was slow and difficult to
unravcl, and it was not until Ian
terms were brought to aid in the work
that the operation was finally COM
pleted.
"Another interesting operation
that took place in the same mcnag-
erie not long ago was to cut off a pair
of collars that had grown too tight on
the necks of a pair of large gray
wolves. When the animals, were first
put into their house they were mere
cubs, and it was not noticed among
theAs thick fur that each wore a
leather collar about the neck. Blythe
time Dick and Nellie were full grown
the collars had grown almost into
the flesh and interfered with swal-
lowing as well as with free breath
ing. 1t was necessary, therefore, to
cut off the collars.
"Most persons would look atawolf,
standing several inches higher than
agreyhound, as too dangerous a brute
to approach without ]precaution;
but to an experienced animal mar a
wolf is a mere incident, not to be
feared so long ashe isboldly attacked.
A pair of huge butterfly nets orlong,
stout poles we're the only weapons Of
offensc, except a penknife. The rims
Of the nets were nearly two feet in
diameter, and instead of light gauze.
the bag consisted Of canvas. but the
continuance looked decidedly made
quate for so formidable a job. ;
"1t seemed as if the animals had
made the acquaintance of these nets
before, for no sooner was, one of them
thrust into the cage than both brutes
shrank into a far corner where they
snarled and showed their teeth and
got ready for leaping, while two
keepers entered the cage through a
small iron sliding door.
Quicker than it takes to tell the
bags had been slipped over the heads
of the beasts and they lay on the
floor fighting and snarling and try
ing to break out. In a few minutes
they lay still and the keeper, drawing
his penknife, slit the bag open at the
neck of n of the wolves reached
within while holding tight to the