The founder of Bear With Us received recognition for the decades he has spent preparing orphaned or wounded bears for their return to the forest.

SPRUCEDALE, — A man who’s worked for over three decades on the rehabilitation of orphaned and injured black bears has been recognized for his contributions to animal welfare.

Mike McIntosh of the Bear With Us Sanctuary and Rehabilitation Centre for Bears received the Wildlife Rehabber of the Year award from Ontario Wildlife Rescue.

McIntosh and his wife, Ella, look after as many as 100 bears at a time at their facility in Sprucedale, just south of Burk’s Falls.

He works closely with the Ministry of Natural Resources Bear Wise program, and is a partner in a coyote/wolf/bear education initiative.

“Humans and human activity often cause pain and suffering to wild bears. This does not mean there is not some of the same in a bear’s natural world. However, people inflict the most pain, suffering and mortality. Keep in mind, very few wild bears actually die of old age. The vast majority are injured or die due to human activities, hunting being a major cause of bear mortality,” says the website.

See: Spring brings surge of orphaned bears to northern Ontario centre

Ontario Wildlife Rescue works with over 50 wildlife rehabilitation centres in the province.

Most are run by volunteers and depend on donations from the public for support.

OWR also helps these facilities find resources, including food, medical supplies and veterinary services.

Earlier this year, it arranged for a shipment of donated pet food to Nipigon Bear Cub Rescue and other Ontario rehabilitation centres. 

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