Feeding Animals on Your Own Property Can Get You Hard Time

[XLFD]

Ludington residents should count their lucky stars, since their local officials and state officials haven't yet thrown anyone in jail for feeding cats on their own property, or feeding seagulls or other wildlife down in city parks.

The Florida Wildlife Commission spoke to this retired 81 year young teacher over a period of time, warning her about not leaving the bears dog food in her back yard, but she just wouldn't listen.  And even though they showed her videos and took her to court to instill this idea in her she still had the audacity to lawfully put dog food in her back yard so that bears would wander there and consume it.

Late last year, they had enough of this woman disobeying their unlawful edicts and decided to use the power of the state to harass her, having a judge put her on probation for this offense (not listening to officials overstepping their authority) as a Christmas present.  That still was not enough, as this woman still legally put out dog food in her back yard for the benefit of local bears, in defiance of this usurpation of her property rights and her admission that she wouldn't cease her activity.  She apparently is old enough to remember a time in America when governments knew their proper place and followed the laws themselves.  Here is the face of today's criminal:

 

Finally, the power of the state was sent in to throw her in a cage; they will not be mocked by this obvious terrorist trying to give comfort and dog food to wildlife because of misplaced sympathies on her part; obviously, she has mental problems as she does not listen to the advice and film of the officials.  The police and nanny state shows itself to those who believe in the core fundamentals of America, and defy what it has turned itself into.

 

It's an admonishment heard over and over again from wildlife officials. But Florida resident Mary Musselman didn't listen, officials said.

And it got her arrested at age 81.

She is being held without bond, CNN affiliate WFTS reported.

"I think it is outrageous," said Karen Tedder. She and other former students of the retired gym teacher held a gathering Thursday outside Musselman's house in Sebring to pray for her.

She must be released, they say, because her husband is dying of cancer and she's his only caregiver.

But authorities had warned her multiple times not to feed the black bears coming onto her property.

She did anyway. And she fed them a lot -- up to 17 to 18 bowls of dog food at a time, wildlife officials told the affiliate.

The bears loved it and kept coming back. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission hated it and kept coming back, too.

Killing a bear

Musselman's trouble with the law began last year, when wildlife officials had to put down a bear she was feeding, they said.

They went to great lengths to explain to her why she shouldn't give the wild animals food, said FWC spokesman Gary Morse. They brought her informational videos and pamphlets, had conversations with her.

"Feeding bears results in bears losing their fear of people," Morse said. After they get used to living around humans and getting food from them, relocating them does not solve the problem.

And when bears come too close to people, they do damage -- to property and to people, Morse said.

The education they gave Musselman was all for naught.

"She told us she wasn't going to stop," Morse told the affiliate.

Then, in November, they issued her an official warning. Weeks later, officers caught her feeding bears again. Out came the instructional videos once more.

Still no change.

 

The law steps in

In December, Musselman was ordered to appear in court, where -- this time -- a judge told her to stop feeding the bears. That didn't work either. On Christmas Eve, she was back in court; she left there on probation.

Again, the problem persisted: More food; more bears.

A judge sent wildlife commission officers to arrest Musselman. They said she fought them and told them she'd kill them.

Now she is charged not only with feeding wildlife but also with battery against a law officer and violating her probation.

Why wouldn't she stop?

She thought the bears would starve without her, according to the affiliate.

"She didn't want to accept that fact that they'd be fine without her," Morse said. "They hibernate when there is no food."

Her former students are trying to find a mental health professional to appear with her in court.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/01/justice/florida-feeding-bears-arrest/

[AQUAMAN]

NO BOND? Wth kind of court/judge is this? Keeping an 81 year old woman in jail for approx. 75 days is insane, esp. with her husband's condition. Relocate the bears already FWC, that's your job, not killing senior citizens with mental incapacity.

[XLFD]

As you noted, the official reaction is insane; Mrs. Musselman's actions may be classified as insane only because she is ignoring the insane officials.  As such, I feel her actions may not only be sane, but courageous and necessary in this day and age. 

[Willy]

I agree with you Aquaman. If she refuses to stop, then relocate the bears, don't throw her in jail. I Also agree that she is causing a hazard for her neighbors by feeding the bears.

[XLFD]

The same lady gets released and leaves some crumbs for crows, and gets sent back to jail.  I would be up in arms over this if I were in her neighborhood.  No judge has the power to tell you that you can't feed animals on your own property: 

UPDATE:  TAMPA, FL (FOX 13) - A woman who was arrested last month for feeding wild animals will stay in jail for now after her latest arrest.

A judge decided this morning to hold Mary Musselman, 81, behind bars after she allegedly violated the terms of her probation.

Musselman originally went to jail back in January after wildlife officers said she violated probation by feeding bears in and near her backyard. They said she had been warned not to feed wild animals last November after wildlife officers had to euthanize a bear she had been feeding.

A judge gave her probation at the time, and made it clear: Do it again, and go to jail.

She did, was arrested in January, and the case ignited controversy when Musselman was held without bond.

Her attorney, William Fletcher, told FOX 13 that officers issued a new arrest warrant after checking on her home and seeing that she was leaving bread out for crows.

That violates her court order not to feed any wild animals.

Musselman appeared in court this morning. Fletcher said a medical evaluation concluded that Musselman suffers from Alzheimer's and dementia, and he requested that the judge place her in alternate housing, such as her brother's home in Illinois.

"I understand the court orders need to be obeyed. But this woman, she's mentally ill, judge," he said.

The judge, however, said he wanted a more complete mental evaluation and ordered Musselman to be held in a secure facility until then, so she will remain behind bars.

Read more: http://www.myfoxphilly.com/story/24907680/elderly-woman-to-remain-j...