Safari says pony OK after run-in with bear

A miniature pony pinned to the ground by a bear Sunday is all right, according to a spokeswoman for Wild Wilderness Drive-Through Safari in Gentry.

Park visitor Melissa Carnes of Bentonville posted a video on her Facebook page of the encounter. The video shows the miniature pony being held down by the bear’s forelegs. The bear also uses its snout to poke at the pony, but does not bare its teeth in the video. No blood is visible.

The pony was unharmed, but further details would have to be released by someone else at the company, the spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Confirmation from the Siloam Springs Veterinary Hospital that the pony was seen there and wasn’t injured was sought by telephone Tuesday. The call wasn’t returned by 5 p.m.

The Safari company released a statement on its Facebook page.

“Piper, the pony, is looking good after her bear encounter yesterday,” it reads. “The vet said she is in good condition with no injuries. Thanks so much for your concerns! We are performing an internal review.”

The attraction reopened in March after it paid a $75,000 fine to settle complaints with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in June 2018. In that settlement, attraction managers agreed to a 60-day suspension of operations that began Jan. 1.

The settled allegations from the Agriculture Department included 13 cases of failure to provide adequate veterinarian care to 43 instances of animals kept in dirty or otherwise inadequate conditions. The Agriculture Department oversees the welfare of animals in such attractions.

The 400-acre attraction has more than 800 exotic animals including tigers, monkeys, kangaroos and wildebeests. It includes a 4-mile, drive-through loop.