Response to Bear Center Report

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From: Jansen, Heiko <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2016 9:19 AM To: Robbins, Charles T Subject: DRAFT...report comment

Charlie, I’m sending this draft to you first to get your input. It doesn’t need to go further if you think it’s not going to be productive or even counterproductive. Thanks. H

Keith and Charlie: I’m drafting an email, whether or not it sees the light of day is clearly out of my control, but I want to highlight several errors in the “management” report that I feel must be rectified because they paint a false impression of the previous events. This is really long and I apologize for taking up more of your precious time. AsI was never privy to the report prior to it being published I feel entirely within my rights to raise my concerns.

Please read the following as my own words and nothing more. Who this should go to is unclear to me as I feel out of the loop in these discussions. Nevertheless, I’m personally devastated by the picture being painted and even more-so given the apparent focus on bears that were part of my study. I feel strongly that the provost’s office hear these concerns and publish an amendment to the “management” report. Keith, I know you don’t think this is something that will happen, but it needs to be heard - by someone.

DRAFT STATEMENT: I would like to raise (enter into the record) concerns I have with the accuracy of several statements made in the recent “Management" report published on the WSU bear center website on March 9, 2016 and subsequently reported in several media outlets. My concern originates with a meeting I had with ‘the’ (or a committee) including Craig Parks and Merle Heineke and Margaret Benson on November 10, 2015 at 2:30pm. This meeting ensued following an earlier meeting with Dean Bryan Slinker wherein I requested that I be able to answer questions apparently being raised by ‘the’ committee (I don’t recognize any of the other names on the report so cannot attest to the fact that this was even an ‘official' committee meeting). Regardless, Dr. Parks was taking notes and that information should have been recorded. If verified, it would/should confirm several factual errors that appeared in the published report found on page 5 (section titled “Findings-Adherence to Regulations and Policy). I take this matter personally, as these studies (IACUC approved) involved and were related to my specific area of scientific inquiry. The errors are summarized below.

1. Published: “Bears are hibernated entirely or mostly on site. When a second site has to be used, two or three bears will be placed into culvert traps located in 199G."

Response: This statement is entirely misleading. Bears are NEVER housed TOGETHER in culvert traps. How could two or three 200-600 lb bears fit into a single 4x8 foot trap? Rather, they are housed individually. This is required for the activity monitoring and circadian rhythm detection that was part of our IACUC approved study, even the exception to house individually was approved.

2. Published: “Culvert traps are also expected to have video cameras to allow for continued monitoring, but the Center’s traps do not,”

Response: This statement is summarily false. All culvert traps have continuous video monitoring. Early on (2010, not 2015) the year we had to euthanize the two young bears, the culvert traps had video cameras (tape variety) recording 24/7. We would replace the tapes very 4-5 days and analyze all the video data to determine if

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abnormal activity was occurring (all in the IACUC protocol). The evidence that two of the three bears were more active than expected, even though a third sibling was hibernating normally (this was never mentioned), led us to remove the bears from 199G, and attempt to feed them, all to no avail. 3. Published: “Unknown to us is whether the Center’s employment of traps is consistent with best practice.” Response: The size of the traps is similar to that of natural bear dens and was approved by IACUC. As far as I know, no standards exist for hibernation den size. Any statement made to indicate that this size den is somehow non-standard is simply based on speculation. Furthermore, how can statements be made to suggest that “six inches of straw or wood chips for bedding” be mandated when no such standards exist (again, as far as I am aware). 4. Published: "Bears who sleep directly on the metal run the risk of developing sores." Response: While this might be true for bed-ridden humans, there is nothing to suggest that this occurs in bears. Again, unfounded speculation. Good intentions aside, straw in a culvert trap with water available would create a soupy mess that probably would be worse for the bears, require frequent replacement and thereby countermand the purpose of the studies being performed. We actually considered this, and instead opted for drainage holes in the traps and elevated grating. This was all mentioned in my statements to ‘the’ committee. 5. Published: “In 2015* (footnote corrected date as was the Spokesman Review report, so someone took the time to fact-check the info!) the Center placed two compatible yearling bears in a trap.” Response: This statement is false (also see 1. above). Bears were housed individually. This, in retrospect is how we came to realize that bears need to “learn” how to hibernate. No one knew this before and so we could not have predicted the outcome. Also, a third sibling survived hibernation with no problems, thus, the situation is clearly more complicated. Again, I’m sorry to give you yet more to read. But hopefully I can garner some support to have this sent up to the provost and an amendment drafted to correct the errors. I will defer to your collective opinion on how to proceed, but at least I’ve tried to set the record straight. Heiko

From: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2015 6:21 AM To: Russell, Steven Paul Cc: Dewald, Daryll B; Johnson, Lisa Subject: Action: draft letter Steve, I am in and out of meeting all day. Do you need comments or a signature? Either way, I can have someone bring it back to you if we cannot coordinate a meeting time. Lisa can assist with timing of need be. Kim Sent from my iPhone On Oct 13, 2015, at 4:40 PM, Russell, Steven Paul <[email protected]> wrote:

Hello Daryll and Kim, Would it be possible to bring a draft letter by your offices tomorrow? Thanks, Steve Dr. Steven Russell Director, Office of the Campus Veterinarian PO Box 641165 Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (509)335-2023

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2015 1:49 PM To: Ryan, Terrance Cc: Hess, Danielle A; Keane, Christopher; Russell, Steven Paul Subject: Attorney-Client Communication - Confidential Attachments:

Thank you Nina -----Original Message----- From: Ryan, Terrance Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2015 8:57 AM To: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]> Cc: Hess, Danielle A <[email protected]>; Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Russell, Steven Paul <[email protected]> Subject: Nina,

Terry ________________________________________ From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2015 8:40 AM To: Ryan, Terrance Cc: Hess, Danielle A; Keane, Christopher; Russell, Steven Paul Subject: Attorney-Client Communication - Confidential Hello Terry,

Nina Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246

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(Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>

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From: Watson, Sandy on behalf of Keane, Chris Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2016 3:47 PM To: Borrelli, Stephen; Brown, Derek Arthur; Cavalieri, Ralph Phillip; Dutta, Geeta Ahuja; Ely, Terry L;

Fatland, Anson W; Field, David P; Gardner, John C; Gloss, Lisa M; Goos, Ann W; Hill, Laura Griner; Hossain, Akram; Keane, Chris; Kerr, Colleen Elizabeth; King, Joan; Klein, Kellie Maria; Kluzik, Mike; Koenig, Richard T; Krueger, James; Lazarus, Andrea; Mealey, Robert; Moyer, James William; Nordquist, Daniel G; Odom-Maryon, Tamara; Pappu, Sita S; Parks, Craig David; Pietsch, Alex; Pillay, Sasi.k; Pinkleton, Bruce E; Pitre, Paul E; Portfors, Christine; Pratt, Esther; Rodriguez Flecha, Samuel; Roll, John Michael; Roth-McDuffie, Amy; Russell, Steven Paul; Skinner, Matthew A; Small, Kimberlie K; Sprott, David; Watson, Sandy; Whitney, Paul; Woodford, Nina

Cc: Keane, Chris Subject: Bear Research Center Greetings, We recently received media inquiries regarding the WSU Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center and would like to ensure that you have accurate information regarding the Center operations and the quality of care for our bears. CAHNRS Acting Dean Kimberlee Kidwell and WSU executive leadership learned of possible concerns regarding the Bear Center last fall. Once alerted to the situation, I launched a preliminary review of the Bear Center. The review identified communications and protocol concerns that required a more extensive evaluation. Because we take the care of our bears very seriously, the Provost’s Office established an investigative team to thoroughly evaluate the Center and submit a subsequent report. That report was provided to me today. All of our bears are healthy and currently are coming out of hibernation. WSU takes pride in successfully managing the bear program and has done so for decades within strict federal and state animal welfare regulations and in partnership with many oversight agencies. The Provost Office report has verified that our Center’s care for the bears operates within its accreditation guidelines, and its accreditation has been reaffirmed. The committee also has provided recommendations for operational improvements that will guide future management of the Center. Many of you know our bears. You also know that as research animals they are in service to the greater conservation effort to restore grizzly populations throughout the world. We know that these grizzly bears are important not just to WSU but to the community. Thank you for your support of Washington State University and for caring for these bears as much as we do. You can find the report and more information on the Bear Center program at http://cahnrs.wsu.edu/bearinfo/. If you have any questions or additional concerns, please feel free to email us at [email protected]. Sincerely, Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research

From: Keane, Christopher Sent: Monday, November 23, 2015 7:08 AM To: Russell, Steven Paul Cc: Woodford, Nina Subject: FW: Immediate Action- Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center Attachments: OCV_Memo_to_BRC_112015.pdf Importance: High Hello Steve: FYI- while you were out last week I asked Nina to send the attached memo. Nina and I also went through the bear facility last Friday and removed some records, which are being copied and then returned. Pls. call me if you have questions. Regards Chris Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research Professor of Physics Washington State University French Administration 422 P.O. Box 646525, Pullman, WA 99164-6525 509-335-3574 (W) 509-335-5515 (fax) From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, November 20, 2015 3:12 PM To: Robbins, Charles T <[email protected]>; Nelson, Lynne <[email protected]>; Jansen, Heiko <[email protected]> Cc: Hess, Danielle A <[email protected]>; Kluzik, Mike <[email protected]>; Mittelhammer, R C <[email protected]>; Barnard-La Pointe, Kathryn R. <[email protected]>; Dewald, Daryll B <[email protected]>; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae <[email protected]>; Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]>; Slinker, Bryan Keith <[email protected]>; Austin, Erica Weintraub <[email protected]> Subject: Immediate Action- Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center Importance: High Please see the attachment concerning immediate action at the Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center Nina Woodford Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162

[email protected]

MEMORANDUM CONFIDENTIAL TO: Margaret Benson, Professor, Department of Animal Sciences

Thomas Besser, Professor, Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology Merle Heineke, Director, Research Facilities, WSU Spokane Craig Parks, Special Assistant, Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President

FROM: Christopher J. Keane, Vice President for Research DATE: October 13, 2015 SUBJECT: Bear Research Program Inquiry; Committee Charge Thank you for agreeing to serve as an inquiry committee member for an inquiry into the Washington State University (WSU) Bear Research Program. The committee is asked to complete a preliminary assessment and forward it to me by October 30, 2015. A recommended plan and time line for completion of the full inquiry should also be forwarded at that time. The purpose of the inquiry is to assess the overall adequacy of regulatory compliance within the WSU Bear Research Program. Specific areas to be addressed include:

compliance with approved IACUC protocols completeness of medical and other necessary records follow-up and responsiveness to Institutional oversight distribution of decision making authority within the program adequacy of standard operating procedures for care and handling of the bears appropriateness of staffing levels effectiveness of veterinary care and oversight other items as identified during the course of the inquiry

Please recognize that this is not a formal investigation, but inquires are to be confidential to the extent allowed by law. Enclosed is a confidentiality letter; please review and sign. Again, thank you for agreeing to participate in reviewing this important matter. Enclosures cc: Erica Austin, Interim Co-Provost

Daryll DeWald, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences Kimberlee Kidwell, Acting Dean, College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences Ron Mittelhammer, Interim Co-Provost

Bryan Slinker, Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine

From: Dewald, Daryll B Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2015 9:37 PM To: Russell, Steven Paul Subject: RE: draft letter Yes Steve, Please do. Daryll From: Russell, Steven Paul Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2015 4:40 PM To: Dewald, Daryll B <[email protected]>; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae <[email protected]> Subject: draft letter Hello Daryll and Kim, Would it be possible to bring a draft letter by your offices tomorrow? Thanks, Steve Dr. Steven Russell Director, Office of the Campus Veterinarian PO Box 641165 Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (509)335-2023

From: Russell, Steven Paul Sent: Monday, November 23, 2015 8:45 AM To: Keane, Christopher Cc: Woodford, Nina Subject: RE: Immediate Action- Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center Thank you Chris. Nina and I have been talking this morning to get me caught up on everything that has been going on while I was gone. I’ll be sure to contact you if I have questions. Cheers, --Steve From: Keane, Christopher Sent: Monday, November 23, 2015 7:08 AM To: Russell, Steven Paul Cc: Woodford, Nina Subject: FW: Immediate Action- Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center Importance: High Hello Steve: FYI- while you were out last week I asked Nina to send the attached memo. Nina and I also went through the bear facility last Friday and removed some records, which are being copied and then returned. Pls. call me if you have questions. Regards Chris Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research Professor of Physics Washington State University French Administration 422 P.O. Box 646525, Pullman, WA 99164-6525 509-335-3574 (W) 509-335-5515 (fax) From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, November 20, 2015 3:12 PM To: Robbins, Charles T <[email protected]>; Nelson, Lynne <[email protected]>; Jansen, Heiko <[email protected]> Cc: Hess, Danielle A <[email protected]>; Kluzik, Mike <[email protected]>; Mittelhammer, R C <[email protected]>; Barnard-La Pointe, Kathryn R. <[email protected]>; Dewald, Daryll B <[email protected]>; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae <[email protected]>; Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]>; Slinker, Bryan Keith <[email protected]>; Austin, Erica Weintraub <[email protected]> Subject: Immediate Action- Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center Importance: High

Please see the attachment concerning immediate action at the Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center Nina Woodford Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

From: Russell, Steven Paul Sent: Wednesday, October 28, 2015 8:05 AM To: Woodford, Nina; Anderson, Gwen Marie Subject: RE: Interview Request Good morning Nina, This is in regards to the bear program. --Steve From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2015 6:43 PM To: Russell, Steven Paul; Anderson, Gwen Marie Subject: Fwd: Interview Request Do you know what this is about? Sent from my iPhone Begin forwarded message:

From: "Foth, Alicia M" <[email protected]> Date: October 27, 2015 at 4:47:16 PM PDT To: "Woodford, Nina" <[email protected]> Subject: Interview Request

Hello Ms. Woodford, I assist with coordinating research reviews for the Vice President for Research. A committee would like to interview you. Are you available tomorrow, October 28, from 9:45-10:45 am? Thank you, Alicia _______________________ Alicia Foth Administrative Assistant 3 Office of Research Washington State University (509) 335-5238 [email protected]

From: Nina Woodford, Acting Attending Veterinarian, Office of the Campus Veterinarian To: Charles Robbins, Professor and Director of the Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center Lynne Nelson, Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine Heiko Jansen, Associate Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine Effective immediately, all disposition of bears including and not limited to euthanasia must have prior approval from the Office of the Campus Veterinarian Attending Veterinarian (AV). The single exception to prior approval from the AV is emergency euthanasia for humane reasons in the event of serious injury or illness. The AV must be immediately notified in the event of an emergency euthanasia and any spontaneous death of a bear. The AV will determine the diagnostic necropsy procedures that will be conducted following any bear death as per the USDA Animal Care Policy Manual October 16, 2015, Policy #4. This directive must be forwarded to all students, postdoctoral fellows and staff associated with animal health assessment and disposition. Contact information for the Office of the Campus Veterinarian Attending Veterinarian OCV Main line: 509-335-6246 OCV Emergency contact number: 509-330-1871 [email protected] Nina Woodford

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Thursday, January 07, 2016 2:08 PM To: Pru, James K; Subject: 4773 update FYI- Gay Lynn Clyde and I have been meeting and working with Dr. Robbins and others on the Bear Center SOP since November. We have a finalized draft that should be coming back to the IACUC office soon. It still needs a final review on the ASAF form and may generate more questions. Thanks Nina Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

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From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, January 29, 2016 12:45 PM To: Erdman, Phyllis; Cc: Kluzik, Mike Subject: 4780 Hello Phyllis and , these are my conclusions from the Wednesday meeting discussion. Is this consistent with your recollections? 4780-1 was subject to a full committee IACUC discussion regarding the issue of secondary containment. The fencing currently surrounding the proposed treadmill area is 8 feet high with no ceiling fencing, tip-in or hot wire. Approval of ASAF 4780-1 is deferred until the following conditions are met and verified by an IACUC site inspection of the facility once the treadmill is in place

1. The treadmill must be at least 3 feet away from the exterior fence to meet AWA requirements for secondary containment

2. A secure method of transferring the bear from the transport cage to the treadmill and back again must be established and in place

3. The secondary fencing around the treadmill area must be modified to include bear-proof ceiling fencing to prevent the possibility of an escaped bear climbing on top of the treadmill and over the secondary fencing or onto the roof of the building.

Nina Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

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From: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae Sent: Saturday, January 23, 2016 9:01 AM To: Robbins, Charles T; Woodford, Nina; Blatner, Keith Allan Cc: Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike;

Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance; Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby; Coursey, Marta; Johnson, Lisa Subject: action: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Importance: High Charlie, Nina and Keith, I appreciate the thoughtful comments that you have exchanged below. At this point, it would be best for us to have face to face meeting to address issues and concerns. I would like to attend this meeting to facilitate discussion, and to represent the college’s perspective on this situation. I also want to reiterate that my expectation is that all CAHNRS faculty are in 100% compliance with federal and university policies concerning animal health and well-being in every situation where animals are involved in research. Please join me in moving forward into a constructive conversation with that thought in mind. Lisa Johnson will assist with arranging this meeting. Respectfully, Kim Dr. Kim Kidwell, Professor Acting Dean College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences Washington State University PO Box 646243 Pullman, WA 99164-6242 Phone: 509-335-3590 email: [email protected] From: Charles T. Robbins [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, January 22, 2016 10:38 AM To: Woodford, Nina; Blatner, Keith Allan Cc: Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike; Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance; Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby Subject: RE: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Nina/Keith: I would still like to have the meeting Keith proposes to discuss the issues both he and you identified, and ultimately develop the wording for the ideas that you indicate below that will be added to your earlier document. There is at least one other issue in your document that I

would like to discuss further. That issue is, “Animal acquisition and breeding must have prior review and approval from the Office of the Campus Veterinarian.” I think that point needs to be fleshed out far better than just that broad statement, and as Keith points out, my concern is well into the future when other CVs are hired. If we have a CV come in who views the Bear Program as nothing more than a zoo, has strong feelings against euthanizing bears, and research is viewed as a secondary purpose of the Bear Center as occurs in zoos, the research program and outside research funding from natural resource agencies will come to an end as we move into geriatric bear care. Frankly, 2/3’s of the research that my group has done over the years could not have been done if breeding and euthanasia for research purposes were severely curtailed. So, I would like to have a meeting to thoroughly discuss all of the issues in your document. Thanks. Charlie From: Woodford, Nina [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, January 22, 2016 10:02 AM To: Blatner, Keith Allan Cc: Robbins, Charles T; Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike; Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance; Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby Subject: RE: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Hello Keith, Thank you for your email. I welcome a meeting between OCV and the WSU Bear Center faculty to discuss parameters. A simple response to the two primary concerns. First, video monitoring during hibernation is sufficient but daily documentation of hibernation monitoring needs to be implemented. Second, OCV staff do not need unescorted access into the bear pens and direct contact with awake bears. I fully agree that this would be a very dangerous and unacceptable situation. If a health problem is noted on video or from viewing from outside the pens then the Bear Center faculty would be contacted to assist in evaluating the animal. For your information, I have attached the revised 2016 USDA Animal Care Inspection Guide which was released for general distribution last Friday. It has updated information on USDA record keeping and training requirements in Chapter 6 and in particular pages 6-10 to 6-19. The Animal Welfare Act has not changed but the guidelines for how the inspectors conduct the inspection process have been upgraded. I propose that Dr. Clyde and I meet with the Bear Center faculty to confirm that our current record keeping and training meets the expectations in the upgraded guidelines. This may need to be in a separate meeting because of time restraints. Thank you Nina From: Blatner, Keith Allan Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2016 4:32 PM To: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]> Cc: Blatner, Keith Allan <[email protected]>; Robbins, Charles T <[email protected]>; Nelson, Lynne <[email protected]>; Jansen, Heiko <[email protected]>; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae <[email protected]>;

Dewald, Daryll B <[email protected]>; Slinker, Bryan <[email protected]>; Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Kluzik, Mike <[email protected]>; Erdman, Phyllis <[email protected]>; Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]> Subject: FW: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Nina, I greatly appreciate receiving your recent email outlining the practices and procedures at the Bear Center. I fully respect your role and responsibility as campus veterinarian in the over sight of the bear facility. You have a substantial ethical and legal responsibility to ensure that the bears are properly cared for and everyone one respects and values that role. However, in my current temporarily role as Acting Director of the Bear Center, I do have some questions about two of the requirements stated in the memo. The first of these: “Effective daily monitoring of animal health and well-being including animals in hibernation”. I have no issue with the need for daily monitoring per se, but the mechanism for implementing daily monitoring during hibernation is not spelled out. For example if video monitoring during this period is acceptable, then I have no issue to raise regarding the requirement. Conversely, if this were to involve physical observation of the bears on a daily basis, I would have substantial concerns, since such activity could endanger the health of the bears due to disturbing the hibernation process. Based on my conversions with Charlie, I believe you are willing to accept video observation of the animals. However, the next CV might not view it in the same manner. Similarly, a lawyer with no background in animal care or hibernating bears might come to very different conclusion as to what is required. Hence, I feel this requirement needs further clarification please. My second potential concern relates to the following: “The Office of the Campus Veterinarian will have unrestricted access to all animal facilities associated with the Bear Center to assess animal health, care and record-keeping. OCV will conduct frequent rounds of the facilities to verify the quality of care.” Again I have no issue with the need for monitoring by your office. However, we have had issues in the past where the CV has actually entered the pens with wild bears when the bears were not in hibernation and were not sedated. This is a very dangerous and unacceptable activity, which put the university at considerable risk to say nothing of the CV. If the issue is access to area behind the pens and related, then I have no real concerns. If it includes direct access to the bears, then I submit that considerably more detailed procedures are required. As a result of these potential concerns and possibly others, I would like to please request a meeting of Charlie, Lynne, Heiko, and myself with you and any other members of your team as you see fit to review the practices and procedures outlined in the memo. I hope that all parties will view this meeting positively as a collaborative effort to further clarify the needed procedures as a mechanism to avoid future problems. I greatly appreciate your expertise and knowledge in this area, and I am confident that this meeting will serve as the foundation for a long-term collaborative relationship between the CV and the bear center. After all, we are clearly in agreement that we want the bears to receive the best care possible, while allowing us to safely pursue the research mission of the university. Thank you for considering my request. Keith Keith A. Blatner Professor and Program Leader for Forestry and

Interim Director Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center

School of the Environment Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-2812 Tel: 509-335-4499 Fax: 509-335-7862 Email: [email protected] From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, January 15, 2016 8:48 AM To: Blatner, Keith Allan; Robbins, Charles T; Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko Cc: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike; Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance Subject: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Good morning Drs. Blatner, Robbins, Nelson and Jansen, Please see the attachment concerning procedures and record-keeping practices at the Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center. The procedures scheduled for next week are approved. Please contact me if you have any questions Nina Woodford Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 12:21 PM To: '[email protected]' Subject: actions taken Attachments: Actions taken since December 2015.docx Hello Marta, Please let me know if you have any questions or need clarification Nina Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

Actions taken since December 2015

1) There is a formal investigation of the WSU Bear Center in process through the Provost office 2) The Office of Research has proposed a review of the WSU animal care and use program and is in

the process of scheduling. This is a two part process a. A technical assessment of the WSU animal care and use compliance program utilizing

both internal and external reviewers i. The internal review has been initiated and modifications to WSU IACUC policy #27

(Procedure for addressing non-compliance with IACUC policies or procedures) is in IACUC review

ii. The external review is pending b. An external administrative review of infrastructure supporting the animal use

compliance program is in process of being scheduled 3) The WSU Bear Center standard operating procedures protocol has been updated, reviewed and

approved by the IACUC. This review was part of the normal IACUC review process that occurs every three years.

4) Veterinary oversight of the bear center has been strengthened regarding record keeping, notification, veterinary access, euthanasia and animal acquisition

5) There is departmental commitment for facility maintenance and staffing 6) In January 2016, two bears were euthanized as part of a planned research-related procedure.

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 12:21 PM To: '[email protected]' Subject: actions taken Attachments: Actions taken since December 2015.docx Categories: Red Category Hello Marta, Please let me know if you have any questions or need clarification Nina Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]











From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 1:35 PM To: Keane, Christopher; Kerr, Colleen; Gardner, John C; Strenge, Robert L; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae;

Austin, Erica Cc: '[email protected]' Subject: actions taken Attachments: Actions taken since December 2015.docx Categories: Red Category Here is a description of actions taken since December of 2015











From: Peterson, Kristina A Sent: Monday, March 07, 2016 1:19 PM To: Keane, Chris; Woodford, Nina; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Kerr, Colleen Elizabeth; Gardner, John C;

Strenge, Robert L; Coursey, Marta; Slinker, Bryan; DeWald, Daryll B; Ryan, Terrance; Lockard, Laura; Varner, Lynne K; Yang, Olivia Owyong; Powell, Charlie

Cc: Austin, Erica Weintraub; Mittelhammer, R C Subject: Agenda/Handouts: Discussion/Coordination of Anticipated Research Program Report

(Teleconference) Attachments: Agency email 3-4-16.docx; CAHNRS QA_OR_comment.docx; Center Fact Sheet 3-3-16.docx;

Internal Briefing_Mar4 2016.docx; KidwellProvostReportTalkPts_3 4 16.docx; Release Plan for 3-8.docx; Social Media Posts 3-4 +EA.docx; Stakeholder Email 3-4.docx

Greetings, On behalf of Provost Erica Austin, please find below the agenda for today’s (March 7) Discussion/Coordination of Anticipated Research Program Report Teleconference. This teleconference is scheduled for 4:00 PM (Pacific). Agenda (Please note, the approval for all processes listed below will be confirmed with President Bernardo)

Update on status of the investigation report Update on findings and actions so far (e.g. accreditation letter) Internal communication plan

o Deans When and how they communicate with colleges Content of that communication Point of contact for handling external queries and stakeholders

Timing, content, mode o Senior Leadership

When and how they are informed Content of that communication Protocol for external queries and stakeholders (i.e. To whom should they refer

questions) Timing, content, mode

o Plan for other internal communication Role of the President Criteria for broader internal communication, specifically post 3-8

Timing, content, modes following from those criteria o External communication

Confirm Kim and Chris roles, follow up from training Chris Keane’s draft statement President’s role, with specific reference to requests from media Social media plan

Just on VPR page? Just via FB? (Keane question re Twitter) Content for BC page

Elements of media kit – what is for internal reference and what is for external distribution

Agreed plan for stakeholder communication post 3-8, what is criteria? (– we will probably need daily check-in)

Other? Also attached are the latest documents pertaining to the Bear Research Center. As a gentle reminder, Pullman participants are welcome to join the meeting in Lighty 403. If you are attending by phone, please call (509) 335-4700. When prompted, enter the meeting ID 4444. Warm regards, Kristina Kristina Peterson-Wilson | Executive Assistant Office of the Provost & Executive Vice President | Washington State University French Administration Building 436 | PO Box 641046 | Pullman WA 99164-1046 (509) 335-8915 | [email protected]

Hello, As an agency partner to Washington State University, we wanted you to be aware of current media attention surrounding our Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center. WSU commissioned a Provost’s report and we have put this report on our website. If you receive any media attention, please feel free to refer them to http://cahnrs.wsu.edu/bearinfo/ or Marta Coursey at [email protected]. Thank you.

3/4/2016 12:50 PM 2

BEAR CENTER Q&A DRAFT

Final version for http://cahnrs.wsu.edu/bearinfo/

March 4, 2016

Introduction The WSU Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center is the only grizzly bear research center of its kind in the United States. Prior to establishment, both federal and state biologists responsible for understanding and managing wild grizzly bears occasionally wanted to use captive bears in their studies. Few zoos have the resources or sufficient numbers of bears to obtain meaningful data. The WSU Bear Center meets that need. Why does WSU study bears? We study bears to save wild bears. Our research also holds the potential to help solve human health concerns. Grizzlies have been an endangered species in Washington since 1980; 30 inhabit Washington proper, 100 more in the Selkirk Mountains. Yellowstone National Park has from 600 to more than 800 bears. Research from the bear center is used to support wild bear populations throughout North America. Bear nutrition, physiology, ecology, behavior, reproduction, and learning and memory are also studied at the center. Much of the research has implications for human health as well, including diabetes, heart health and memory. When was the Bear Center founded? The Bear Center was founded in 1986, in partnership with federal biologists, to understand grizzly bear needs and requirements, both in captivity and in the wild. At the time, biologists were trying to find a home for two orphaned grizzlies raiding garbage cans near Glacier National Park,

Commented [KC1]: Suggest we don’t release this.

3/4/2016 12:50 PM 2

that would have been killed if they hadn't found a new home at WSU. We have studied bears ever since. How many bears live at the Bear Research Center? The Bear Center generally houses between 10 and 12 bears. Why is WSU reviewing the Bear Center? Following a public request for information, WSU Vice President for Research Christopher Keane called for a preliminary review of the WSU Bear Center Program last fall. The preliminary review team commenced work in October 2015. Based on preliminary findings the university elected to execute a formal review led by the Office of the Provost. This review report will be issued on Tuesday, March 8, 2016. Who oversees the Bear Center? Dr. Nina Woodford of the Office of the Campus Veterinarian is serving as interim director of the Office of Campus Veterinarian during this period. Dr. Keith Blatner, professor in the School of the Environment, is serving as interim director of the Bear Center to oversee operations. How does the university ensure wellbeing of research animals? The wellbeing of animals under the university’s care, including the bears at the Bear Center, is the top priority of the WSU animal care program. WSU has operated a large animal research program, with more than 20,000 animals, for decades. The program has been regularly reviewed and inspected by federal and other agencies and has maintained continuous accreditation since 1979. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regularly conducts unannounced inspections of the Bear Center and other WSU animal care facilities. The last inspection was conducted in July 2015. No major findings were identified. WSU is accredited has been reviewed by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC) since 1979. The last AAALAC accreditation visit occurred in fall 2015, which

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conducted its latest routine visit in fall 2015. We expect to have ourreceive our letter of full accreditation renewed continuation very soon. AAALAC is a private, nonprofit organization that promotes the humane treatment of animals in science through voluntary accreditation and assessment programs. What agencies are responsible for animal care and use regulatory compliance? The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Animal Welfare Division, within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers the federal Animal Welfare Act and serves as regulatory enforcement arm for the USDA (Source: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalwelfare/sa_awa/ct_awa_program_information). The USDA requires research facilities to have an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). This committee conducts facility inspections, reviews all proposed research, investigates complaints of inappropriate animal care and use, and is responsible for certifying the care, use, and disposal of all research animals (Source: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_welfare/2014/fsc_research_oversight.pdf). At WSU, IACUC informs the Office of Research, which is headed by Christopher Keane, Vice President for Research. Together, they are responsible for all research animals at WSU through the Office of the Campus Veterinarian. What are the major findings of the Provost review of the Bear Center? (Complete Tuesday AM) What is WSU doing to improve the situation at the Bear Center? WSU has an effective safety and assurances program which requires additional effort as the WSU research enterprise expands its scope, reach, and statewide impact. Enhancing compliance/oversight has been a top budget/staffing priority for the VPR since arrival at WSU in July 2014. Dean Kidwell and Dr. Keane are working together to strengthen the

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Bear Center and ensure its continued preeminence as a research facility. Specific actions include: a) Enhanced oversight of the Bear Center by CAHNRS and the Campus Veterinarian. b) A Bear Center facility director has been hired and will commence work in mid-March. This will improve general facility maintenance, record keeping, and regular bear health status reporting. c) The Office of Research has strengthened IACUC post-approval reviews- this was in progress before this incident and will benefit the entire animal care program. d) An external review of the WSU animal care program has been in preparation and will be launched within the next month. e) WSU Interim President Bernardo has launched a WSU safety initiative. This initiative will enhance the culture of safety overall at WSU, including laboratory safety and compliance, and support growth in the size, reach, and mission impact of WSU’s research effort. To summarize: compliant work is safe work. How has research at the Bear Center helped bears? Research at the Bear Center has made a number of discoveries that can help maintain a healthy population of wild bears. WSU has learned that a bear’s size, fat, and cub production are related to its food resources. Certain foods are especially important to bears; changes to ecosystems affect their availability. Researchers have learned how to understand grizzlies’ diets by analyzing a single hair, helping scientists determine if bears get enough of the right foods to eat. The painless, non-invasive technique helps determine how wild bears are recovering and if they have enough habitat to meet their food needs. Our research has found that human activities that disrupt foraging by bears on salmon or other important seasonal food resources could seriously harm individual bears or their populations. Bear-viewing affects both the number of bears and the age and sex ratio of bears willing to visit salmon streams


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while people are present. In the field of ecology, WSU research has shown that salmon-eating grizzly bears are extremely important in moving nutrients from the ocean back to the land. How has research at the Bear Center helped people? Bears’ remarkable adaptations may help solve human health concerns. Studies of how bears’ hearts naturally adapt during hibernation may benefit people or pets with heart disease. Bed-ridden patients may benefit from studies of how bears maintain muscle strength and mass during hibernation, essentially exercising while they sleep. Bears are able to acquire massive amounts of fat and yet remain completely healthy, which may shed light on human obesity-related pathologies. Why is the university fundraising for an International Bear Center? A new International Bear Center has been proposed to replace the current Bear Center on the WSU Campus. The International Bear Center would increase the space available for bears, the number of bears that could be housed, and the amount of research that could be conducted. The new center would continue to house bears that need to be removed from the wild due to human conflicts, and would also serve local and regional resource agencies by providing a temporary home for injured, orphaned, or sick bears. Initial costs are estimated at $20 million. The new center will include 18 housing units with dens, 20 acres of natural environments: two five-acre yards and one 10-acre yard, with pools. Also planned are veterinary medical facilities, a nutritional management facility, a kitchen with food storage and preparation areas, video surveillance and digital monitoring, and a conference meeting space and offices. A Board of Directors, composed of university faculty, state and federal agency biologists, and conservation and industry representatives with interest in bears, will be established to oversee and advise on all research and educational programs. Are Yellowstone grizzlies being delisted from endangered status? The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on March 3, 2016, proposed to remove the grizzly bear in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem from the federal lists

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of endangered and threatened wildlife. The proposed rule is being published in the Federal Register, and public comments are being sought for 60 days. A decision will follow. The Yellowstone grizzly population rebounded from as few as 136 in 1975 to more than 700 today. Stable population numbers mean Yellowstone is at or near its carrying capacity for the bears.

BEAR CENTER FACT SHEET DRAFT

3-4-2016

The WSU Bear Research, Conservation, and Education Center: Expanding our understanding of grizzly bears Introduction The Bear Research, Conservation, and Education Center at WSU is the only one of its

kind in the nation. For 28 years, the WSU Bear Center has expanded our knowledge of grizzly bears.

New understanding of how grizzlies have adapted and evolved in a changing world helps wild bears and their ecosystems survive, while also helping advance human health.

Center and bear history Grizzly bears once roamed from Alaska to Mexico, with a population of 100,000. Today, grizzly bears outside of Alaska have been eliminated from 99 percent of their

range and have declined in numbers to approximately 1,600. Significant populations are restricted to the Yellowstone and Northern Continental Divide. Very small populations inhabit the North Cascades of Washington and the Selkirk Mountains of Washington and Idaho.

The WSU bear program was established in 1986. Federal and state biologists responsible for understanding and managing wild grizzly bears occasionally wanted to use captive bears in their studies. They found that zoos do not have the resources or sample sizes of bears to obtain meaningful data. The WSU Bear Center fulfills that need.

Bears at the center The Bear Center is home to roughly a dozen grizzlies on average, including males,

females and cubs, either born there or brought here by wildlife officers. Commonly, bears come because they have been orphaned or habituated to humans.

Research at the Bear Center covers a range of disciplines, including nutrition, physiology, ecology, behavior, reproduction, and learning and memory. Bears at the Center are trained from birth to take part in humane, approved research. They can open their mouths on command, paw or nose touch to visual cues, and present their chest or flanks for inspection, minimizing the need for sedation.

Research helps bears and people Discoveries at the center can help maintain a healthy population of wild bears.

Researchers have learned how to understand grizzlies’ diets by analyzing a single hair, helping scientists know if bears get enough of the right foods to eat. This helps us learn how wild bears are recovering and if they have enough habitat to meet their food needs.

We’ve learned that salmon-eating bears are extremely important in moving nutrients from the ocean back to the land, and that human activities that disrupt foraging can seriously harm bears.

At the same time, bears’ remarkable adaptations may hold the key to helping solve human health problems.

Grizzly bears hibernate for about five months out of the year, and don’t eat, drink, urinate, or defecate during that time. Studies of how bears’ hearts work during hibernation may help fight heart disease.

Bed-ridden patients may benefit from studies on how bears maintain muscle strength and mass during hibernation, essentially exercising while they sleep. Bears are able to acquire massive amounts of fat and remain completely healthy, which may shed light on obesity.

Staff and facilities Five faculty researchers, five graduate students, and as many as seven

undergraduate volunteers staff the center, which has six indoor-outdoor dens/runs, a 2.2-acre exercise yard, a kitchen with walk-in refrigerator and freezer, and a medical room. Each bear gets time in the outdoor yard every day.

New bear center A new International Bear Center has been proposed to replace the current center,

increasing capacity for bears, staff and research. The new center will include 18 housing units with dens and 20 acres of natural environments: Two five-acre yards and one 10-acre yard, with pools. Initial costs are estimated at $20 million.

The new facility will house both grizzly bears and polar bears. It offers a place for new on-site learning opportunities, educational visits and outreach programs.

The center is located at the corner of Grimes Way and Terre View Drive in Pullman. Visit the center website at http://cahnrs.wsu.edu/soe/facilities/bears/

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BEAR CENTER BRIEFING DOCUMENT

March 4, 2016

Background and Events to Date The Washington State University Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center (“Bear Center”) was established in 1986. WSU maintains the only university-based grizzly bear research center in the United States. Research at the Bear Center covers a wide range of conservation studies, including nutrition, physiology, ecology, behavior, reproduction, learning and memory. Bear research helps address human health concerns, such as diabetes, heart disease, and muscle atrophy. Timeline August 2015: A public request for information outlines questions and concerns about Bear Center operations. October 2015: WSU Vice President for Research Christopher Keane calls for a preliminary review of the center. The review team begins its inquiry. October 2015: AAALAC, the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, conducts its most recent inspection of the Bear Center. We anticipate a renewal of our accreditation very soon. November 2015: The director of the Bear Center and the director of the Office of the Campus Veterinarian both have their administrative duties reassigned, pending outcome of a provost’s report.

Dr. Nina Woodford, of the Office of the Campus Veterinarian, assumes the duties of the director of the Office of the Campus Veterinarian.

Dr. Keith Blatner, professor in the School of the Environment, is appointed to oversee Bear Center operations.

January 2016: CAHNRS Dean Kim Kidwell is leading the Bear Center team regularly to establish and monitor care protocols. January 2016: Preliminary review team completes work, calls for a provost report. Concerns raised in the preliminary review include:

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Strained relations and communication issues between the director of the Bear Center and the Office of the Campus Veterinarian.

Non-compliance with approved protocols and/or procedures. February 2016: Provost’s committee begins inquiry. March 2016: Provost report deadline for completion in mid-month. Key Messages for CAHNRS Acting Dean Kim Kidwell 1. KEY MESSAGE: The bears at the Center are doing well.

Secondary talking points: All bears at the center are healthy. Bears are currently emerging from hibernation.

2. KEY MESSAGE: Provost’s Report on WSU Bear Center is in progress.

Secondary talking points: The university has been aware of a potential issue involving Bear Center

operations for some time. When CAHNRS Acting Dean Kim Kidwell and other university administrators

learned about concerns, we began a preliminary review. The Provost’s report is due March 8.

3. KEY MESSAGE: We study the bears to save bears.

Secondary talking points: Grizzlies have been an endangered species in Washington since 1980. 30 grizzlies inhabit Washington proper; 100 in the Selkirk Mountains. Yellowstone has from 600 to more than 800 grizzly bears. The Bear Center shares new information for bear conservation around the

world. The hundreds of publications and presentations authored by Bear Center staff have improved understanding of bear nutrition, physiology, behavior, and other important topics.

Our researchers have made new discoveries on bear diets, health, and their role in the ecosystem, which hold the potential to help wild grizzlies survive.

Bear Center scientists are continuing to explore how bears adapt and evolve in a changing world.

4. KEY MESSAGE: We need a larger, more comprehensive, state-of-the-art bear

facility. Secondary talking points: A new WSU International Bear Center has been proposed to replace the

current center, increasing capacity for bears, staff and research.

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Fundraising efforts have been underway for a larger center since 2005 (Seattle Times: http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/wsu-attempts-to-unlock-mysteries-of-hibernation-to-help-humans/ ).

An upgraded facility is critical to our ability to take care of more grizzlies and to expand our research to other bear species.

The new center will include 18 housing units with dens and 20 acres of natural environments.

The estimated need is $20 million. 5. KEY MESSAGE: Wellbeing of research animals is the top priority of the WSU animal

care program. Secondary talking points: Research animals provide critical scientific information to ensure a safe and

secure food supply for the world. WSU has operated a large animal research program (more than 20,000

animals) for decades. Animals used in research and teaching at WSU include fish, rats, mice, bats,

rabbits, chickens, pigs, sheep, goats, horses, deer, cows, reptiles and amphibians.

All research activities on bears are reviewed and approved by an independent university committee, ensuring they receive ethical and humane treatment.

Action taken at Bear Center since December, 2015

The WSU Bear Center standard operating procedures protocol has been updated, reviewed, and approved by the IACUC, the university’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. This review was part of the normal IACUC review process that occurs every three years.

Veterinary oversight of the Bear Center has been strengthened regarding record keeping, notification, veterinary access, euthanasia and animal acquisition.

There is departmental commitment for facility maintenance and staffing. In January 2016, two bears were euthanized as part of a planned research-

related procedure. Agencies and Partners The WSU Bear Center works with university and agency partners and voluntary accreditation organizations to ensure bear health and wellbeing. The university’s animal research program has been regularly reviewed and inspected by federal and other agencies and has maintained continuous accreditation since 1979. Involved units include:

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Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC): They conducted a site visit in spring 2015, and we anticipate that they will renew our accreditation very soon.

USDA: Inspectors conduct periodic unannounced site visits to the Bear Center. The most recent visit, in August 2015, had several minor findings corrected at the time of inspection.

WSU Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC): Reviews and approves all research activities involving bears.

Bear Center staff: Oversee bear research and day-to-day operations, including feeding and other routine bear care.

The Office of the Campus Veterinarian (OCV): Oversees bear veterinary care. Contact Point Any questions about management of the Bear Center should be directed to: Marta Coursey, Director, CAHNRS Communications [email protected] 509-335-2806

March 4, 2016 11:55 a.m.

KIDWELL TALKING POINTS for Provost’s report 1: Existing Bear Center facility needs an overhaul

Facility repurposed 30 years ago to serve bears. After years of making the facility work for staff and bears, we are in urgent need of a new building to be able to continue the good work.

Staff still did a great job for the most part, even though it has been increasingly difficult due to the age of facility and the advancement of technology.

Pivot to: Fundraising campaign for expanded facility, in progress for several years but the

report brings us to critical fundraising point. We must move forward with a renewed sense of urgency.

2: Bear Center not staffed appropriately

New position: half-time facilities manager in place by mid-March, for daily oversight/day-to-day monitoring of bears/daily record-keeping.

The interim attending campus vet is monitoring daily record-keeping and care protocols.

The interim director of the center operations is now monitoring daily bear care activities.

Pivot to: As you know, we don’t discuss specific personnel issues. We are conducting an ongoing and full review of the current staffing plan.

3: Inconsistent policies & protocols

Concerns were raised, all protocols revisited; found all are up to date and in compliance.

Protocols now monitored daily by interim Campus Veterinarian, reporting to regularly to Acting Dean Kim Kidwell

We are confident the center is being well managed Pivot to:

We have every intention of continuing to uphold the highest standards of operations and research protocol.

The provost’s report is part of the work we began last fall but it will continue.

March 4, 2016 11:55 a.m.

4: Resistance to changing culture When concerns were raised, we reassigned both the Bear Center Director and the

Campus Veterinarian to investigate concerns. Bear Center is unique – we are pioneering new protocols on a routine basis For animal welfare, Campus Veterinarian is the ultimate authority and that

reporting relationship must be honored and supported by all researchers and staff.

These issues did not affect care of the bears. Pivot to:

The only acceptable approach to constant change is to remain collaborative and approach every protocol and practice as a team. That is the standard we live by at WSU and we take it very seriously.

5: Animal welfare was not affected by the above issues

Our bears deserve the greatest care and respect: They are in service to the greater good of conserving wild bears and forwarding improvements in human health.

We remain the only bear facility of its kind in the nation and we understand the significance of our research for bears and humans.

Pivot to: We have a sacred trust to uphold and we will honor that obligation to our bears

and our community of supporters.

Release Plan for: The Provost’s Report on Management of the Washington State University Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center: Preliminary Findings and Recommendations as requested by the Office of Research March 7, 2016 Time TBD: Initial briefing for Working Group and Communication Group 2:00pm – All materials finalized, includes statements, webpages, and all elements if the media toolkit March 8, 2016 7:30am – Final briefing on report for Working Group and Communication Group 8:00am-1:00pm – Stakeholder outreach per separate stakeholder contact strategy *2:00pm – Release of the Report by the Office of the VPR with an accompanying statement by the VPR:

Statement to include: VPR requested the investigation by the Office of the Provost, why the report, why we are releasing publicly, how we are addressing, includes a dedicated email address on VPR and Bear Center webpage – who will be staffing this email?. Scott Weybright/CAHNRS communications staffing [email protected]

Process: Report posted on VPR webpage and Bear Center webpage; accompanied by release on social media (see immediately below)

Social Media: WSU posts link to Provost’s Report on all VPR, CAHNRS Facebook

pages (any other college Facebook pages?) Deans will arrange meetings to brief their faculty

*2:00pm – Media availability: Dr Kim Kidwell, Acting Dean of CAHNRS, and Dr Chris Keane, VPR

Consecutive interviews pre-scheduled select media per Coursey/Strenge/Varner – to include AP, Moscow-Pullman Daily News, Lewiston Tribune

Facilitated by Coursey and Strenge, Kerr will also be on the call Kidwell addresses to the Bear Center, Keane speaks to research enterprise

We need to identify prep times for Kidwell and Keane MC coaching Kidwell Monday, March 7 at 11 a.m. Media tool kit:

Statement from VPR – draft completed and to Keane Link to Provost’s Report – in progress Bear Center Q&A – initial draft completed Bear Center General Fact Sheet – completed International Bear Center Fundraising 4-Pager – completed Selected stories on Bear Center from WSU News archive High-resolution photos of bears at center from College of Vet Medicine Video of center bears from CAHNRS Comms team

March 8, 9, and forward Development of message pieces around the research enterprise.

NOT FOR RELEASE UNTIL APPROVED BY KIM KIDWELL AND THE PROVOST’S OFFICE Facebook post After receiving reports concerning Bear Research Center operations and the quality of care for our bears, WSU commissioned a Provost’s report of the center, available below. (include link to report) All of the bears are healthy and currently coming out of hibernation. WSU has successfully managed the bear program for decades within very strict federal and state animal welfare regulations and in partnership with many oversight agencies. We take the care of our bears seriously. As research animals, the bears are in service to the greater conservation effort to restore grizzly populations throughout the world. We will provide any updates as appropriate, knowing that these grizzly bears are important to WSU and the community. For more info, visit http://cahnrs.wsu.edu/bearinfo/. Facebook response to comments We appreciate your response and take the care of our bears seriously. We will continue to listen to and read all responses and provide updates on social media as they become available. Twitter post WSU has undertaken a review of the Bear Research Center. Click here for more details: http://cahnrs.wsu.edu/bearinfo/.

Commented [AEW1]: Suggest “questions concerning” or “reports questioning”? The current phrase is a bit confusing to me.

DRAFT BC BOILERPLATE FOR STAFF COMMUNICATION 3.4.16

Dear CAHNRS friend,

We wanted to let you know about recent media attention regarding the WSU Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center. We would like you to have accurate information regarding concerns about the bear program. After receiving reports about the Bear Center operations, and concerns about the quality of care for our bears, Acting CAHNRS Dean Kimberlee Kidwell and WSU Vice President for Research Christopher Keane have been conducting media interviews about the Bear Center.

We take these concerns very seriously. The Acting Dean and WSU executive leadership learned of possible issues with the Bear Center some time ago. Once alerted to the situation, Dr. Keane launched a preliminary review of the Bear Center. The review panel identified communications and protocol concerns that required an evaluation and subsequent report from the Provost’s office. In the interim, Nina Woodford is serving as Interim Attending Veterinarian for the Office of the Campus Veterinarian and Keith Blatner is serving as the Interim Director, in charge of the Center.

CAHNRS has successfully managed the bear program for decades within very strict federal and state animal welfare regulations and in partnership with many oversight agencies. All of the bears are healthy and coming out of hibernation.

Many of you know our bears. You also know that as research animals they are in service to the greater conservation effort to restore grizzly populations throughout the world. We will provide any updates as

appropriate, knowing that these grizzly bears are important not just to WSU but to the community.

Thank you for your support of CAHNRS and for caring for these bears as much as we do. You can find more information on the Bear Center and programming at http://cahnrs.wsu.edu/bearinfo/. If you have any questions or additional concerns, please feel free to email us at [email protected].

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Monday, November 30, 2015 2:42 PM To: Pru, James K; Subject: ASAF#4773-1 Hello Jim, I have more comments/questions. Transport to the VTH is described under veterinary care on page 3. I agree that transport to other sites should be included. 1. On page 2, All drugs and chemicals given to an animal must be on an approved SOP or ASAF or under the direction of a veterinarian. Ivermectin is used routinely at the bear center. Please include as part of the preventative medicine program with dose, route and indications for use or have the responsible veterinarian sign off on every treatment for every animal. Any other routine medications need to be included as well. 2. On page 2 there is a statement. "No routine vaccinations or medications are used unless deemed necessary by the Principal Investigator and LARC veterinary staff" and below for new bears- "Bears are evaluated by the PI and veterinary staff and any tests, vaccinations, worming or treatments are done at the discretion of the PI with advice/support of the veterinary staff". On page 3 under veterinary care, "treatment is done at the discretion of the PI with advice/support of the veterinarian. Minor problems are treated at the facility by the research or veterinary staff". Given those statements, The IACUC reviewers are not able to assess the quality of preventative health care, medical care and entry/quarantine procedures for bears. In addition, the wording suggests that veterinary care and decisions could be made that are not described in the SOP nor under the direction of a veterinarian. The following can be done to resolve this issue.

a) Include a detailed description of preventative health measures and minor medical assessments/treatments that will be provided to the bears so that the IACUC can assess the overall medical program. An example of a minor medical SOP is WSU IACUC SOP #9 which can be found at http://www.iacuc.wsu.edu/documents/forms/pdf/WSU_SOP_9.pdf and...

b) Clarify that all medical treatments (preventative and minor) will be conducted under the direction of a veterinarian unless described in the approved ASAF or SOP.

3. On page 3, the ability to adequately monitor animals in culvert traps during hibernation with the use of cameras placed outside the trap is questionable. Either the use of culvert traps for hibernation can be removed from the SOP or additional methods of monitoring can be added (such as remote temperature and activity monitors with parameters for intervention) . 4. Parameters for intervention should be established for animals in hibernation at the Bear Center as well. Suggestions for parameters are activity level detected by video camera monitoring and body condition scoring at times of sedation 5. Under euthanasia on page 4, please list the dose and route of sodium pentobarbital and describe how death is confirmed. Is a secondary means of euthanasia employed as well?

From: Pru, James K Sent: Friday, November 20, 2015 7:16 PM To: Woodford, Nina Cc: IACUC; Subject: ASAF#4773-1

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Nina, I have the following comment for ASAF#4773-1 (Robbins, bear care). Can you comment on the use of “outdated commercial chows” for the bears under the “Daily Care” section? Also, does a section on “transport” need to be included in this SOP for moving bears offsite?

1. Under “Preventive Medicine and Colony Health Care:”, please provide more detailed information on when “animals are sedated regularly.” Please provide an estimate here.

Let me know if you have anything else to add and I will forward comment to PI. Jim James K. Pru, PhD Associate Professor Department of Animal Sciences Center for Reproductive Biology VBR171, 1815 Ferdinand's Lane Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164 phone: 509-335-8913 email: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Shipping address: 100 Dairy Road VBR Building, Room 205 Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-7620

From: Charles T. Robbins <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2016 8:52 AM To: Woodford, Nina Subject: Attached manager description Attachments: Bear Center manager position clean 2_3_2016.docx Nina: Attached is a revision of the manager announcement that you circulated. I added more items important to the bear group and revised some of the earlier statements. Would you read it with the thought of 1) did I remove or adversely alter anything important to you and 2) is there anything that I inserted that would raise a red flag when viewed by the administration? When I get your thoughts/edits back, I will continue to work on it; and, if appropriate, we can send to Kim and Keith before our next meeting. Another thought regarding the person also working on the deer is that just what we have down here for the bears is a full-time job. I think you can see why I am already stretched thin at trying to meet these needs as well as all the other things I do. Thanks for moving this idea along. Charlie

Washington State University is currently seeking a Facility Manager to oversee the daily operations of the WSU Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center. This position includes involvement and oversight of the proper care of bears used in a laboratory setting, feeding, sanitation and compliance with standard operating procedures as well as state and federal requirements. GENERAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FACILITIES MANAGER: *Assists Director and Veterinarian with overseeing day-to-day animal care and husbandry operations for the WSU Bear Center, oversee the implementation of operating policies and procedures developed by the Director and Veterinarian, and assist with project and IACUC protocol development and revision. *May serve as the responsible party for the WSU Bear Center in the absence of the Director. *Organize, supervise and train students, volunteers and research staff to ensure that all policies, procedures and husbandry practices are maintained and in compliance with all federal regulations and University policies. Develop and maintain safety and training manuals and training records. *Provide information and advice to investigators, students, staff, and public. *Manage the Bear Center website, educational tours, and materials as well as sales and other fundraising activities. Provide budget assistance when requested. *Maintain records as required by NIH, USDA, and WSU policies on training, personnel, equipment, environmental safety, animal health, feeding, acquisition, disposition and variety of correspondence. *Maintain facility equipment including cameras, anesthetic vaporizers, gates, doors, lights, pools, and fences, including electric fences. Track use of all supplies, including drugs, darting equipment, syringes, needles, food and other commonly used items to ensure that adequate supplies are always available. Track use of all controlled substances and ensure that inventory and records comply with state and DEA requirements. *Conduct daily observations on bears. Must have the ability to recognize signs of abnormal behavior, illness, or injury, which is either experimentally-related or occurring spontaneously. Relays findings to the Director and Attending Veterinarian and consult and discuss animal health issues with the veterinary staff, investigators, and/or research staff. *Provide technical assistance and assist with data collection as requested by supervisors, veterinarians or research staff. This may include injections, catheter placement, remote delivery of chemical immobilization (darting), or blood sampling as examples. *Coordinate and develop animal enrichment programs to develop and maintain normal bear behavior and minimize stereotypes. *Participate and, if appropriate, lead training programs for the bears that are necessary for routine health care and research. This may include training bears for blood sampling, injections, biopsies, ultrasounds, or other procedures for which investigators would like to avoid anesthesia.

*Feed and water the animals and sanitize housing and animal use areas according to the standards set by federal law, standard operating procedures, and special experimental protocols. All feeding decisions will be made by the Director in consultation with research faculty and students. Because research programs often depend on quantifying all food consumed, the Facility Manager must ensure that no unauthorized foods are fed. *Become proficient at obtaining CITES permits and arranging and shipping biological samples to national and international cooperators. *Maintain excellent working knowledge of federal and state laws, USDA regulations, PHS Policy and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, Fish and Wildlife and AAALAC requirements. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: *Requires a Bachelor's degree in Animal Science, Wildlife Biology or a related field. *At least three years of experience working in an animal facility. *Candidates must demonstrate strong management skills, including exceptional interpersonal and communication skills. *Candidates must have the ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, and students from a variety of diverse backgrounds. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: *Supervisory or management experience in an animal facility setting. *Previous experience with bears. *Experience training animals with clicker procedures. *Certified as a Laboratory Animal Technician (LAT) or higher with the American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS), or equivalent. *Strong writing and oral communication skills and the ability to communicate effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and interests. *Familiarity with concepts, practices and procedures in a variety of the research fields, including veterinary medicine, wildlife biology, physiology, and ecology. *Emergency duties required during adverse weather and or other emergency situations.

From: Charles T. Robbins <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, January 07, 2016 2:12 PM To: ; Woodford, Nina Subject: attached SOP Attachments: IACUC_bear stock protocol 1_7_2016.pdf

: Attached is the revised SOP for the Bear Colony. Please pass it on the IACUC. Thanks. Charlie

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From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2015 1:49 PM To: Ryan, Terrance Cc: Hess, Danielle A; Keane, Christopher; Russell, Steven Paul Subject: Attorney-Client Communication - Confidential Attachments:

Nina -----Original Message----- From: Ryan, Terrance Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2015 8:57 AM To: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]> Cc: Hess, Danielle A <[email protected]>; Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Russell, Steven Paul <[email protected]> Subject: RE: Attorney-Client Communication - Confidential

Terry ________________________________________ From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2015 8:40 AM To: Ryan, Terrance Cc: Hess, Danielle A; Keane, Christopher; Russell, Steven Paul Subject: Attorney-Client Communication - Confidential Hello Terry,

Nina Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246

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(Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>

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From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, November 20, 2015 11:07 AM To: Hess, Danielle A Cc: Keane, Christopher Subject: Attorney-Client Communication Confidential Attachments: Hello,

Thanks Nina From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, November 20, 2015 11:00 AM To: Hess, Danielle A <[email protected]> Subject: RE: Attorney-Client Communication Confidential Thanks! From: Hess, Danielle A Sent: Friday, November 20, 2015 10:58 AM To: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]> Cc: Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Watson, Sandy <[email protected]> Subject: RE: Attorney-Client Communication Confidential Nina,

Danielle

Danielle Hess, Division ChiefOffice of the Attorney General | Washington State UniversityPO Box 641031 | Pullman, WA 99164-1031Phone 509.335.2636 | Fax [email protected]

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From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, November 20, 2015 10:43 AM To: Hess, Danielle A <[email protected]> Cc: Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Watson, Sandy <[email protected]> Subject: RE: Attorney-Client Communication Confidential Hello Danielle,

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Nina Woodford From: Hess, Danielle A Sent: Friday, November 20, 2015 9:30 AM To: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]> Cc: Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Watson, Sandy <[email protected]> Subject: RE: Attorney-Client Communication Confidential ATTORNEY-CLIENT COMMUNICATION CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVLEGED Nina,

Danielle


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From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, November 20, 2015 9:17 AM To: Hess, Danielle A <[email protected]> Cc: Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Watson, Sandy <[email protected]> Subject: Attorney-Client Communication Confidential Hello Danielle,

Nina

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From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 12:57 PM To: Hess, Danielle A Cc: Keane, Christopher Subject: Attorney-Client Confidential - information requested


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From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Wednesday, December 09, 2015 1:10 PM To: Ryan, Terrance Cc: Keane, Christopher Subject: attorney-client confidential Attachments: Hello Terry

Thanks Nina Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

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From: Austin, Erica Weintraub Sent: Monday, March 07, 2016 8:45 PM To: Keane, Chris; Woodford, Nina; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Kerr, Colleen Elizabeth; Gardner, John C;


Cc: Mittelhammer, R C; Peterson, Kristina A Subject: BC Timeline, roles and list of materials Attachments: Communication timeline and roles 3-7- pm.docx Importance: High Kristina and I have drafted this based on our team discussion this afternoon. Please review for accuracy and completeness. Many thanks,

Erica Weintraub Austin Interim Co-Provost Accreditation Liaison Officer and Proud Coug Mom 509-335-5581 Fax: 509-335-0103

Bear Center Communications Timeline and Roles March 8, 2016

7:30 AM – Erica Austin, Craig Parks, Kristina Peterson-Wilson meet to discuss the Findings and Recommendation Report.

8:00 AM – Erica Austin convenes the Action Team to discuss the Findings and Recommendation Report.

8:30 AM – The Action Team meets with the communications team to discuss the Findings and Recommendation Report recommendations and follow-up actions planned.

9:30 AM – Finalized media tool kit is delivered to Kristina Peterson-Wilson. 10:00 AM – Kristina Peterson-Wilson provides comprehensive media tool kit

(both hard copies and electronically) to Erica Austin, Dan Bernardo, and Colleen Kerr, and electronically to John Gardner.

10:30 AM – Kristina Peterson-Wilson sends comprehensive media tool kit to Bear Center communications team.

1:00 PM – President Bernardo sends communication to Board of Regents. 3:00 PM – Kim Kidwell and Chris Keane interview with the Moscow Daily News. 3:30 PM – Kim Kidwell and Chris Keane interview with the Lewiston Tribune. 3:30 PM – Internal email communication (from Chris Keane) is sent to the

following groups: o University Council – Ginger Druffel to send o Provost Council – Kristina Peterson-Wilson to send o Provost Staff – Kristina Peterson-Wilson to send o Research Council – Sandy Watson to send o WSU IACUC – Chris Keane to send o Chief Bill Gardner and Assistant Chief Steve Hansen – Marta Coursey to

send o Tim Pavish – Marta Coursey to send o College communications leads and social media managers – Marta

Coursey to send 4:00 PM – External email communication sent to the following groups

o Government Relations – Colleen Kerr to send o IACUC – Chris Keane to send

4:00 PM – Web sites updates as follows: o Bear Center website is updated to contain the Findings and

Recommendation Report, fact sheet, and a link for emails on the Media Resources page (Media Resources button appears on landing page); funding info for the proposed new Center, technical resources on IACUC etc., and selected stories about the bears also are provided;

o Office of Research website is updated with statement from Chris Keane and link to the Bear Center media resources page.

4:00 PM+ - Team monitors social media traffic to determine next steps, if needed o No announcements to be posted on Facebook or Twitter o Social media responses have been prepared for Facebook and Twitter

o Team coordinates with safety officials and communication leadership team in case situation escalates

Elevation is identified by Amount and tenor of web traffic Colleen Kerr, John Gardner, Tim Pavish reports from

stakeholder groups Presidential determination of necessary and appropriate

actions—Rob is gatekeeper to the President 5:00 PM – Debrief teleconference regarding interviews.

o Daily meetings/teleconferences will be scheduled for 4:00 or 5:00 PM until further notice from Erica Austin.

Materials

Keane announcement to U Council (for forwarding) – under review Bear Center Fact Sheet draft – complete Bear Center Briefing Document – Complete but may be updated 3-8 am Kidwell Talking Points -- Complete but may be updated 3-8 am Keane Talking Points – In progress (Office of Research) International Bear Center Fundraising 4-pager – Complete Selected stories on Bear Center from WSU News archive High-res photos of bears at Center from College of Veterinary Medicine Video of Center bears from CAHNRS communications team Response templates for social media Media Issues Working Group document

From: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae Sent: Friday, November 20, 2015 12:50 PM To: Robbins, Charles T; Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko; Erlenbach, Joy Anne Cc: Keane, Christopher; Woodford, Nina; Hess, Danielle A; Moyer, James William; Koenig, Richard T Subject: Bear Center Documents Request Importance: High To WSU Bear Center staff members: I’m writing regarding the daily animal care documents, medical logs, controlled substance logs and procedure records at the Bear Center. Copies of these documents, available to Bear Center staff and the USDA, need to be made in support of a public records request. Dr. Christopher Keane, Vice President for Research, and Dr. Nina Woodford, Acting WSU Attending Veterinarian, will come to the Center today to retrieve these documents and return them shortly thereafter. Please refer any questions on this to Dr. Woodford (509-335-8035) or Dr. Keane (509-335-3574). Thank you, Kim Kidwell, Acting Dean Dr. Kim Kidwell, Professor Acting Dean College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences Washington State University PO Box 646243 Pullman, WA 99164-6242 Phone: 509-335-3590 email: [email protected]

From: Peterson, Kristina A Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2016 10:57 AM To: Keane, Chris; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Slinker, Bryan; DeWald, Daryll B; Kerr, Colleen Elizabeth;

Gardner, John C; Woodford, Nina; Coursey, Marta; Strenge, Robert L; Lockard, Laura; Varner, Lynne K; Powell, Charlie; Harris, Therese R; Blatner, Keith Allan

Cc: Austin, Erica Weintraub; Mittelhammer, R C; Ryan, Terrance; Watson, Sandy; Johnson, Lisa; Ulrich, Karla S; Smith, Julie

Subject: Bear Center Media Tool Kit Attachments: Communication Timeline and Roles vFinal.docx; Board of Regents Email vFinal.docx; Internal

Email vFinal.docx; Office of Research Bear Statement vFinal.docx; Kidwell Talking Points vFinal.docx; Internal Briefing vFinal.docx; QandA Bear Center v03.08.16.docx; Center Fact Sheet vFinal.docx; Social Media Posts vFinal.docx

Greetings, On behalf of Provost Erica Austin, attached you will find the following information comprising the Bear Center Media Tool Kit. Please kindly note the documents that are intended for internal use only.

Communication Timeline and Roles (for internal use only) Board of Regents Email Internal Constituent Email Office of Research Statement Kidwell Talking Points (for internal use only) Internal Briefing (for internal use only) Question and Answer* (for internal use only) Center Fact Sheet Social Media Posts

As a gentle reminder, all of the above attachments are now finalized with the exception of the Question and Answer. I anticipate receiving a final copy at approximately 2:00 PM this afternoon (March 8) and will send the same shortly thereafter. Please let me know if you have any questions. Warm regards, Kristina Kristina Peterson-Wilson | Executive Assistant Office of the Provost & Executive Vice President | Washington State University French Administration Building 436 | PO Box 641046 | Pullman WA 99164-1046 (509) 335-8915 | [email protected]





10:00 AM – Communications team finishes materials. Q&A will have second version provided later in the day with summary of report findings and action steps.

10:00 AM – Finalized media tool kit is delivered to Kristina Peterson-Wilson. 10:15 AM – Kristina Peterson-Wilson provides comprehensive media tool kit (both hard

copies and electronically) to Erica Austin, Dan Bernardo, and Colleen Kerr, and electronically to John Gardner.


o Preparation of possible experts and contacts re potential for media inquiries; Erica/Kristina for Craig and committee, Marta for others.

1:00 PM – President Bernardo sends communication to Board of Regents. 3:00 PM – Kim Kidwell and Chris Keane interview with the Moscow Daily News. 3:30 PM – Kim Kidwell and Chris Keane interview with the Lewiston Tribune. 3:30 PM – Internal email communication (from Chris Keane) is sent to the following

groups: o University Council – Ginger Druffel to send o Provost Council – Kristina Peterson-Wilson to send o Provost Staff – Kristina Peterson-Wilson to send o Research Council – Sandy Watson to send o WSU IACUC – Chris Keane to send o Chief Bill Gardner and Assistant Chief Steve Hansen – Marta Coursey to send o Tim Pavish – Marta Coursey to send o College communications leads and social media managers – Marta Coursey to

send 3:30 PM – Web sites updates as follows:

o Bear Center website is updated to contain the Findings and Recommendation Report, fact sheet, and a link for emails on the Media Resources page (Media Resources button appears on landing page); funding info for the proposed new Center, technical resources on IACUC etc., and selected stories about the bears also are provided;


4:00 PM – External email communication sent to the following groups o Government Relations – Colleen Kerr to send o IACUC – Chris Keane to send

4:00 PM+ - Team monitors social media traffic to determine next steps, if needed o No announcements to be posted on Facebook or Twitter

o Social media responses have been prepared for Facebook and Twitter o Team coordinates with safety officials and communication leadership team in

case situation escalates Elevation is identified by

Amount and tenor of web traffic Colleen Kerr, John Gardner, Tim Pavish reports from stakeholder

groups Presidential determination of necessary and appropriate actions—

Rob is gatekeeper to the President 5:00 PM – Debrief teleconference regarding interviews.


Materials


Ryan Durkan, Chair of the Washington State University Board of Regents WSU Board of Regents Dear Chair Durkan and Regents: I’m writing to inform you of a WSU report released today about our Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center. CAHNRS Acting Dean Kimberlee Kidwell and WSU executive leadership learned of concerns regarding the Bear Center last fall. Vice President for Research, Chris Keane, ordered a preliminary review of the Bear Center. The review identified communications and protocol concerns that required a more extensive evaluation. Because we take the care of our bears very seriously, the Provost’s Office established an investigative team to thoroughly evaluate the Center and submit a subsequent report. That report was released today. It verified that our Center’s care for the bears operates within its accreditation guidelines, and its accreditation by AAALAC-International (the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care) has been reaffirmed. Operational improvements that will guide future management of the Center were recommended. In addition, all of our bears are healthy and currently coming out of hibernation. WSU takes pride in successfully managing the bear program and has done so for decades within strict federal and state animal welfare regulations and in partnership with many oversight agencies. As research animals, our bears are in service to the greater conservation effort to restore grizzly populations throughout the world. We know that these grizzly bears are important not just to WSU but also to the broader community. I wanted to ensure that each of you has accurate information regarding the Center operations and the quality of care for our bears. You can find more information on the Bear Center program and the report at http://cahnrs.wsu.edu/bearinfo/. If you have any questions or additional concerns, please reach out to me. Sincerely, Daniel J. Bernardo, President, Washington State University

Draft Email for Internal Constituents Greetings, We recently received media inquiries regarding the WSU Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center and would like to ensure that you have accurate information regarding the Center operations and the quality of care for our bears. CAHNRS Acting Dean Kimberlee Kidwell and WSU executive leadership learned of possible concerns regarding the Bear Center last fall. Once alerted to the situation, I launched a preliminary review of the Bear Center. The review identified communications and protocol concerns that required a more extensive evaluation. Because we take the care of our bears very seriously, the Provost’s Office established an investigative team to thoroughly evaluate the Center and submit a subsequent report. That report was provided to me today. All of our bears are healthy and currently are coming out of hibernation. WSU takes pride in successfully managing the bear program and has done so for decades within strict federal and state animal welfare regulations and in partnership with many oversight agencies. The Provost Office report has verified that our Center’s care for the bears operates within its accreditation guidelines, and its accreditation has been reaffirmed. The committee also has provided recommendations for operational improvements that will guide future management of the Center. Many of you know our bears. You also know that as research animals they are in service to the greater conservation effort to restore grizzly populations throughout the world. We know that these grizzly bears are important not just to WSU but to the community. Thank you for your support of Washington State University and for caring for these bears as much as we do. You can find the report and more information on the Bear Center program at http://cahnrs.wsu.edu/bearinfo/. If you have any questions or additional concerns, please feel free to email us at [email protected]. Sincerely, Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research

STATEMENT TO ACCOMPANY RELEASE OF THE REPORT Christopher J. Keane

Last fall Washington State University (WSU) leadership was made aware of concerns regarding the operation of our Bear, Research, Education, and Conservation Center. In response, the Office of Research, in consultation with the Acting Dean of the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences, initiated a review of both the operation of the bear center and the health and well-being of our bears. As a result of that preliminary review, the Office of the Provost launched a formal investigation into the matter, which was subsequently initiated in February of this year. Today, WSU is releasing the report of the investigation conducted by the Office of the Provost. The university’s first priority as it relates to the operation of our bear research program is to ensure we are following all recognized standards of animal practice and care. WSU has a long-standing accredited animal care and use program that has been peer reviewed by AAALAC-International (the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care) every 3 years since 1979, as well as undergoing unannounced annual reviews by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure compliance with the federally mandated Animal Welfare Act. AAALAC reviewed the WSU program last fall and informed the university full accreditation status will be granted shortly. Following our preliminary review, both the director of the bear center and the director of the Office of the Campus Veterinarian were reassigned to other duties pending completion of the formal investigative process. Dr. Nina Woodford assumed the duties of the director of the Office of the Campus Veterinarian and Dr. Keith Blatner was appointed to oversee the bear center. In addition, oversight of the Bear Center has been strengthened, and additional operational staffing for the Bear Center is being put in place. The university is also enhancing support of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and research compliance generally as the university research program expands in scope and reach. The university will also launch an external review of the animal care program within the next month. This review will address issues raised in both the preliminary and Provost’s reports. This review, as well as the other measures listed above, are a component of a broader effort to strengthen all oversight and compliance as we expand our research and teaching enterprises for the benefit of human and animal health, the environment, and society. The report of the Provost’s Office formal investigation is posted online at https://research.wsu.edu/centers-institutes-labs/. If you have any further questions regarding our animal research programs, please visit our website at http://www.iacuc.wsu.edu/default.asp.

KIDWELL TALKING POINTS FOR PROVOST’S REPORT 1: Existing Bear Center facility needs an overhaul



Pivot to:

Fundraising campaign for expanded facility, in progress for several years but the report brings us to critical fundraising point.

We must move forward with a renewed sense of urgency. 2: Bear Center not staffed appropriately


The interim attending campus vet is monitoring daily record-keeping and care protocols. The interim director of the center operations is now monitoring daily bear care activities.

Pivot to:

As you know, we don’t discuss specific personnel issues. We are conducting an ongoing and full review of the current staffing plan.


Concerns were raised, all protocols revisited; found all are up to date and in compliance. Protocols now monitored daily by interim Campus Veterinarian, reporting to regularly to Acting

Dean Kim Kidwell We are confident the center is being well managed

Pivot to:


The provost’s report is part of the work we began last fall but it will continue. 4: Resistance to changing culture

When concerns were raised, we reassigned both the Bear Center Director and the Campus Veterinarian to investigate concerns.

Bear Center is unique – we are pioneering new protocols on a routine basis For animal welfare, Campus Veterinarian is the ultimate authority and that reporting relationship

must be honored and supported by all researchers and staff. These issues did not affect care of the bears.

Pivot to:


5: Animal welfare was not affected by the above issues Our bears deserve the greatest care and respect: They are in service to the greater good of

conserving wild bears and forwarding improvements in human health. We remain the only bear facility of its kind in the nation and we understand the significance of

our research for bears and humans. Pivot to:

We have a sacred trust to uphold and we will honor that obligation to our bears and our community of supporters.

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BEAR CENTER BRIEFING DOCUMENT March 8, 2016






Non-compliance with approved protocols and/or procedures. February 2016: Provost’s committee begins inquiry. March 2016: Provost report deadline for completion in mid-month. Key Messages for CAHNRS Acting Dean Kim Kidwell

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1. KEY MESSAGE: The bears at the Center are doing well.



Secondary talking points: The university has been aware of a potential issue involving Bear Center operations

for some time. When CAHNRS Acting Dean Kim Kidwell and other university administrators



Secondary talking points: Grizzlies have been an endangered species in Washington since 1980. 30 grizzlies inhabit Washington proper; 100 in the Selkirk Mountains. Yellowstone has from 600 to more than 800 grizzly bears. The Bear Center shares new information for bear conservation around the world. The

hundreds of publications and presentations authored by Bear Center staff have improved understanding of bear nutrition, physiology, behavior, and other important topics.



4. KEY MESSAGE: We need a larger, more comprehensive, state-of-the-art bear facility.

Secondary talking points: A new WSU International Bear Center has been proposed to replace the current

center, increasing capacity for bears, staff and research. Fundraising efforts have been underway for a larger center since 2005 (Seattle Times:

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/wsu-attempts-to-unlock-mysteries-of-hibernation-to-help-humans/ ).



The estimated need is $20 million.

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5. KEY MESSAGE: Wellbeing of research animals is the top priority of the WSU animal care program. Secondary talking points: Research animals provide critical scientific information to ensure a safe and secure

food supply for the world. WSU has operated a large animal research program (more than 20,000 animals) for

decades. Animals used in research and teaching at WSU include fish, rats, mice, bats, rabbits,

chickens, pigs, sheep, goats, horses, deer, cows, reptiles and amphibians. All research activities on bears are reviewed and approved by an independent

university committee, ensuring they receive ethical and humane treatment. Action taken at Bear Center since December, 2015



There is departmental commitment for facility maintenance and staffing. In January 2016, two bears were euthanized as part of a planned research-related

procedure. Agencies and Partners The WSU Bear Center works with university and agency partners and voluntary accreditation organizations to ensure bear health and wellbeing. The university’s animal research program has been regularly reviewed and inspected by federal and other agencies and has maintained continuous accreditation since 1979. Involved units include:






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BEAR CENTER Q&A March 8, 2016

Introduction The WSU Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center is the only grizzly bear research center of its kind in the United States. Prior to establishment, both federal and state biologists responsible for understanding and managing wild grizzly bears occasionally wanted to use captive bears in their studies. Few zoos have the resources or sufficient numbers of bears to obtain meaningful data. The WSU Bear Center meets that need. Why does WSU study bears? We study bears to save wild bears. Our research also holds the potential to help solve human health concerns. Grizzlies have been an endangered species in Washington since 1980; 30 inhabit Washington proper, 100 more in the Selkirk Mountains. Yellowstone National Park has from 600 to more than 800 bears. Research from the bear center is used to support wild bear populations throughout North America. Bear nutrition, physiology, ecology, behavior, reproduction, and learning and memory are also studied at the center. Much of the research has implications for human health as well, including diabetes, heart health and memory. When was the Bear Center founded? The Bear Center was founded in 1986, in partnership with federal biologists, to understand grizzly bear needs and requirements, both in captivity and in the wild. At the time, biologists were trying to find a home for two orphaned grizzlies raiding garbage cans near Glacier National Park, that would have been killed if they hadn't found a new home at WSU. We have studied bears ever since. How many bears live at the Bear Research Center? The Bear Center generally houses between 10 and 12 bears. Why is WSU reviewing the Bear Center? Following a public request for information, WSU Vice President for Research Christopher Keane called for a preliminary review of the WSU Bear Center Program last fall. The preliminary review team commenced work in October 2015. Based on preliminary findings the university elected to execute a formal review led by the Office of the Provost. This review report will be issued on Tuesday, March 8, 2016

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Who oversees the Bear Center? Dr. Nina Woodford of the Office of the Campus Veterinarian is serving as interim director of the Office of Campus Veterinarian during this period. Dr. Keith Blatner, professor in the School of the Environment, is serving as interim director of the Bear Center to oversee operations. How does the university ensure wellbeing of research animals? The wellbeing of animals under the university’s care, including the bears at the Bear Center, is the top priority of the WSU animal care program. The program has been regularly reviewed and inspected by federal and other agencies since 1979. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regularly conducts unannounced inspections of the Bear Center and other WSU animal care facilities. The last inspection was conducted in July 2015. No major findings were identified. WSU has been reviewed by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC) since 1979. The last AAALAC accreditation visit occurred in fall 2015. We expect to receive our letter of full accreditation continuation very soon. AAALAC is a private, nonprofit organization that promotes the humane treatment of animals in science through voluntary accreditation and assessment programs. What agencies are responsible for animal care and use regulatory compliance? The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Animal Welfare Division, within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers the federal Animal Welfare Act and serves as regulatory enforcement arm for the USDA (Source: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalwelfare/sa_awa/ct_awa_program_information). The USDA requires research facilities to have an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). This committee conducts facility inspections, reviews all proposed research, investigates complaints of inappropriate animal care and use, and is responsible for certifying the care, use, and disposal of all research animals (Source: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_welfare/2014/fsc_research_oversight.pdf). At WSU, IACUC informs the Office of Research, which is headed by Christopher Keane, Vice President for Research. Together, they are responsible for all research animals at WSU through the Office of the Campus Veterinarian. What are the major findings of the Provost review of the Bear Center? (Complete Tuesday AM)

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What is WSU doing to improve the situation at the Bear Center? WSU has an effective safety and assurances program which requires additional effort as the WSU research enterprise expands its scope, reach, and statewide impact. Enhancing compliance/oversight has been a top budget/staffing priority for the VPR since arrival at WSU in July 2014. Dean Kidwell and Dr. Keane are working together to strengthen the Bear Center and ensure its continued preeminence as a research facility. Specific actions include:

a) Enhanced oversight of the Bear Center by CAHNRS and the Campus Veterinarian.

b) A Bear Center facility director has been hired and will commence work in mid-March. This will improve general facility maintenance, record keeping, and regular bear health status reporting.

c) The Office of Research has strengthened IACUC post-approval reviews- this was in progress before this incident and will benefit the entire animal care program.

d) An external review of the WSU animal care program has been in preparation and will be launched within the next month.

e) WSU Interim President Bernardo has launched a WSU safety initiative. This initiative will enhance the culture of safety overall at WSU, including laboratory safety and compliance, and support growth in the size, reach, and mission impact of WSU’s research effort. To summarize: compliant work is safe work.

How has research at the Bear Center helped bears? Research at the Bear Center has made a number of discoveries that can help maintain a healthy population of wild bears. WSU has learned that a bear’s size, fat, and cub production are related to its food resources. Certain foods are especially important to bears; changes to ecosystems affect their availability. Researchers have learned how to understand grizzlies’ diets by analyzing a single hair, helping scientists determine if bears get enough of the right foods to eat. The painless, non-invasive technique helps determine how wild bears are recovering and if they have enough habitat to meet their food needs. Our research has found that human activities that disrupt foraging by bears on salmon or other important seasonal food resources could seriously harm individual bears or their populations. Bear-viewing affects both the number of bears and the age and sex ratio of bears willing to visit salmon streams while people are present. In the field of ecology, WSU research has shown that salmon-eating grizzly bears are extremely important in moving nutrients from the ocean back to the land.

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How has research at the Bear Center helped people? Bears’ remarkable adaptations may help solve human health concerns. Studies of how bears’ hearts naturally adapt during hibernation may benefit people or pets with heart disease. Bed-ridden patients may benefit from studies of how bears maintain muscle strength and mass during hibernation, essentially exercising while they sleep. Bears are able to acquire massive amounts of fat and yet remain completely healthy, which may shed light on human obesity-related pathologies. Why is the university fundraising for an International Bear Center? A new International Bear Center has been proposed to replace the current Bear Center on the WSU Campus. The International Bear Center would increase the space available for bears, the number of bears that could be housed, and the amount of research that could be conducted. The new center would continue to house bears that need to be removed from the wild due to human conflicts, and would also serve local and regional resource agencies by providing a temporary home for injured, orphaned, or sick bears. Initial costs are estimated at $20 million. The new center will include 18 housing units with dens, 20 acres of natural environments: two five-acre yards and one 10-acre yard, with pools. Also planned are veterinary medical facilities, a nutritional management facility, a kitchen with food storage and preparation areas, video surveillance and digital monitoring, and a conference meeting space and offices. A Board of Directors, composed of university faculty, state and federal agency biologists, and conservation and industry representatives with interest in bears, will be established to oversee and advise on all research and educational programs. Are Yellowstone grizzlies being delisted from endangered status? The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on March 3, 2016, proposed to remove the grizzly bear in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem from the federal lists of endangered and threatened wildlife. The proposed rule is being published in the Federal Register, and public comments are being sought for 60 days. A decision will follow. The Yellowstone grizzly population rebounded from as few as 136 in 1975 to more than 700 today. Stable population numbers mean Yellowstone is at or near its carrying capacity for the bears.

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How is the WSU Bear Center regulated and accredited? WSU has a long-standing accredited animal care and use program that has been peer-reviewed by AAALAC-International (the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care) every 3 years since 1979. We also are subject to unannounced annual reviews by the USDA to ensure compliance with the federally mandated Animal Welfare Act. USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) administers the federal

Animal Welfare Act, and inspects facilities on a regular basis. Requires IACUC. WSU is a Category 1 institution (certified by AAALAC- Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International).

Last USDA visit to Bear Center was July 2015- no significant findings. Last

AAALAC accreditation visit was fall 2015, AAALAC has informed WSU full accreditation status has been granted.

IACUC protocols in place for all bear experiments.

Have personnel changes been made at the Bear Center as a result of these investigations? Following WSU’s preliminary review, both the director of the bear center and the director of the Office of the Campus Veterinarian were reassigned to other duties pending completion of the formal investigative process. WSU Bear Center staff and operations are currently managed by School of the Environment Prof. Keith Blatner, reporting to Acting Dean Kim Kidwell. Animal care program is managed by Dr. Nina Woodford (Office of the Campus Veterinarian) and the WSU Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), both reporting to Dr. Keane.

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When did WSU become aware of potential problems with the Bear Center and how did WSU respond? After learning of concerns regarding the Bear Center, Dr. Chris Keane, WSU vice president for Research, in consultation with Dr. Kidwell and WSU leadership, chartered a preliminary review that was launched on October 21, 2015. The final report was received Jan. 19, 2016. At that time, Dr. Kidwell and Dr. Keane additionally requested that the Provost Office authorize a full investigation of the matter. Actions taken as a result of the preliminary report included: Staff was reassigned immediately (early Nov. 2015) pending completion of the

investigative process. This is a normal procedure at WSU for individuals involved in such investigations.

Enhanced oversight of the Bear Center by CAHNRS and the Campus Veterinarian was initiated.

A Bear Center facility manager was hired and will commence work in mid-March. This will improve record keeping and regular reporting to the IACUC.

The Office of Research has strengthened IACUC post-approval reviews - this was in progress before this incident and will benefit the entire animal care program.

An external review of the WSU animal care program has been in preparation and will be launched within the next month. This review will take into account findings from both the preliminary and Provost’s reports.

BEAR CENTER FACT SHEET March 8, 2016










Research helps bears and people Discoveries at the center can help maintain a healthy population of wild bears. Researchers have learned how to understand grizzlies’ diets by analyzing a single

hair, helping scientists know if bears get enough of the right foods to eat. This helps us learn how wild bears are recovering and if they have enough habitat to meet their food needs.





Staff and facilities Five faculty researchers, five graduate students, and as many as seven undergraduate

volunteers staff the center, which has six indoor-outdoor dens/runs, a 2.2-acre exercise yard, a kitchen with walk-in refrigerator and freezer, and a medical room. Each bear gets time in the outdoor yard every day.





Social Media Posts Facebook post After receiving questions concerning Bear Research Center operations and the quality of care for our bears, WSU commissioned a Provost’s report of the center, available below. (include link to report) All of the bears are healthy and currently coming out of hibernation. WSU has successfully managed the bear program for decades within very strict federal and state animal welfare regulations and in partnership with many oversight agencies. We take the care of our bears seriously. As research animals, the bears are in service to the greater conservation effort to restore grizzly populations throughout the world. We will provide any updates as appropriate, knowing that these grizzly bears are important to WSU and the community. For more info, visit http://cahnrs.wsu.edu/bearinfo/. Facebook response to comments We appreciate your response and take the care of our bears seriously. We will continue to listen to and read all responses and provide updates on social media as they become available. Twitter post WSU has undertaken a review of the Bear Research Center. Click here for more details: http://cahnrs.wsu.edu/bearinfo/.

Office of the Campus Veterinarian

PO Box 641165, Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (509) 335-6246 • Fax: (509) 335-3162

TO: Keith Blatner, Interim Director of the Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center FROM: Nina Woodford, Interim Attending Veterinarian, Office of the Campus Veterinarian DATE: January 14, 2016 SUBJECT: Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center Management In order to maintain a high quality care program for the animals in the custody of the Bear Research Center, the Office of the Campus Veterinarian (OCV) requires that the following practices and procedures be incorporated into the management of the Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center. Effective daily monitoring of animal health and well-being including animals in

hibernation Prompt reporting of all abnormal animals including illness, injury, death and adverse

reactions to research manipulations to the Office of the Campus Veterinarian Maintenance of comprehensive and coherent health records in a manner such that a

reviewer may readily track all treatments, testing and procedures (research and other) performed on each individual animal. All health records must be made available to the Office of the Campus Veterinarian. Health records will include the following: o Spontaneous illness or injury including history, exam findings, diagnosis,

diagnostic plan and results, treatment plan & record of treatment given and resolution

o Preventative health testing, procedures and treatments o All research-oriented procedures including sedation, anesthesia, blood and tissue

sampling, surgery, drug and chemical administration, euthanasia and other manipulations

o Any treatment given or procedures conducted that are not described and approved in an IACUC protocol or standard operating procedure must be accompanied with documentation that veterinary oversight and authority is in place (from OCV, VTH clinicians or other veterinarians listed on the approved protocol).

o Final disposition of the animal o Identification of the author and date of all written entries made in the health

records Animal acquisition and breeding must have prior review and approval from the Office

of the Campus Veterinarian. All animal disposition and euthanasia must have prior approval from the Office of the

Campus Veterinarian. The single exception is emergency euthanasia for humane reasons in the event of serious injury or illness. The Office of the Campus Veterinarian must be promptly notified of all euthanasia and spontaneous deaths.



Necropsy procedures will be conducted at the discretion of the Office of the Campus Veterinarian.

The Office of the Campus Veterinarian will have unrestricted access to all animal facilities associated with the Bear Center to assess animal health, care and record-keeping. OCV will conduct frequent rounds of the facilities to verify the quality of care.

Facility maintenance and repair will be addressed with coordination of the director, staff, the Office of the Campus Veterinarian and the College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences.

The common goal of our program is to provide the highest quality care for the animals in the custody of Washington State University. Please contact the Office of the Campus Veterinarian if you need clarification concerning these requirements.

From: Watson, Sandy on behalf of Keane, Chris Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2016 3:47 PM To: Borrelli, Stephen; Brown, Derek Arthur; Cavalieri, Ralph Phillip; Dutta, Geeta Ahuja; Ely, Terry L;

Fatland, Anson W; Field, David P; Gardner, John C; Gloss, Lisa M; Goos, Ann W; Hill, Laura Griner; Hossain, Akram; Keane, Chris; Kerr, Colleen Elizabeth; King, Joan; Klein, Kellie Maria; Kluzik, Mike; Koenig, Richard T; Krueger, James; Lazarus, Andrea; Mealey, Robert; Moyer, James William; Nordquist, Daniel G; Odom-Maryon, Tamara; Pappu, Sita S; Parks, Craig David; Pietsch, Alex; Pillay, Sasi.k; Pinkleton, Bruce E; Pitre, Paul E; Portfors, Christine; Pratt, Esther; Rodriguez Flecha, Samuel; Roll, John Michael; Roth-McDuffie, Amy; Russell, Steven Paul; Skinner, Matthew A; Small, Kimberlie K; Sprott, David; Watson, Sandy; Whitney, Paul; Woodford, Nina

Cc: Keane, Chris Subject: Bear Research Center Categories: Red Category Greetings, We recently received media inquiries regarding the WSU Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center and would like to ensure that you have accurate information regarding the Center operations and the quality of care for our bears. CAHNRS Acting Dean Kimberlee Kidwell and WSU executive leadership learned of possible concerns regarding the Bear Center last fall. Once alerted to the situation, I launched a preliminary review of the Bear Center. The review identified communications and protocol concerns that required a more extensive evaluation. Because we take the care of our bears very seriously, the Provost’s Office established an investigative team to thoroughly evaluate the Center and submit a subsequent report. That report was provided to me today. All of our bears are healthy and currently are coming out of hibernation. WSU takes pride in successfully managing the bear program and has done so for decades within strict federal and state animal welfare regulations and in partnership with many oversight agencies. The Provost Office report has verified that our Center’s care for the bears operates within its accreditation guidelines, and its accreditation has been reaffirmed. The committee also has provided recommendations for operational improvements that will guide future management of the Center. Many of you know our bears. You also know that as research animals they are in service to the greater conservation effort to restore grizzly populations throughout the world. We know that these grizzly bears are important not just to WSU but to the community. Thank you for your support of Washington State University and for caring for these bears as much as we do. You can find the report and more information on the Bear Center program at http://cahnrs.wsu.edu/bearinfo/. If you have any questions or additional concerns, please feel free to email us at [email protected]. Sincerely, Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Wednesday, December 23, 2015 2:27 PM To: Robbins, Charles T; Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko Cc: Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby ([email protected]) Subject: bear SOP 4263 edits Attachments: Bear SOP 122215.docx Hello Charlie, Lynne and Heiko, Here are the most recent edits from our meetings Friday and Monday. I did highlight one sentence in the Winter hibernation section. The sentence read “ Inside pens are deep bedded with straw.” Viewing the cameras, it looks like a layer of shavings in the den but no straw (my viewing is limited to the cameras but that doesn’t look like deep straw). The SOP should match whatever is being done so please either use straw or change the wording to include other bedding alternatives. On the ASAF form, any personnel (faculty, staff, students) working with the bears should be included in the personnel section. Please let me know if you have any questions Nina Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

Bear Numbers: - We generally keep 2 subadult or adult bears (i.e., large bears) per den and run combination. Therefore, with the current 6 dens and runs, we are largely restricted to a maximum subadult or adult population of 12 bears. The one exception is when we have young bears either being raised by their mother or by the bear staff. In those situations, we could have as many as 4 bears per den and run (i.e., a mother with triplets or 4 cubs together), in which case the upper limit for the population would be 16 bears (i.e. 2 mothers with triplets and 2 bears/pen in the remaining 4 pens). Grizzly bears are the only species housed in the current facility.

Daily Care during the Active (Non-Hibernation) Period: - Housing/Management: Bears are moved between outside and inside pens to facilitate cleaning

and care. Guillotine doors between inside den and outside runs are controlled remotely from the personnel hallway. Animals are conditioned via food rewards to the sound of a bell to facilitate animal movement. Personnel never enter pens with an awake wild bear. Research personnel with appropriate training and experience will go in with bottle-raised bears.

- Cleaning of pens and miscellaneous equipment: Dens, small runs, and environmental

enrichment objects are cleaned daily with high pressure cold water. Den walls and floors are cleaned with soap and water at least monthly during the active period

- Feeding: When not on a feeding trial, bears are fed a commercial dog food as their base diet.

The amount fed each bear varies widely depending on time of year, age and weight, appetite, and short- and long-term research need for each bear. Feeding decisions are made daily by the Principal Investigator (Dr. Robbins). Bagged commercial chow is stored on pallets in a walk-in refrigerator and other food items are stored frozen. Occasionally, outdated commercial chows are fed because 1) chows are refrigerated to reduce the rate of vitamin breakdown and 2) the commercial chows are not the sole source of nutrients. Other foods include road-killed deer (source: local highway and fish and wildlife agencies), salmon and trout (source: local fish hatcheries), fresh or frozen apples (source: WSU orchard), and fresh white clover and grasses growing in the 2 acre exercise yard. Expired baked goods from local grocery suppliers will be fed for training and motivational purposes. On occasion, a short-term fast will be implemented for behavior modification. For example: a well-nourished bear that no longer returns to its individual pen on a daily basis may be fasted for up to 2 days to regain its motivation for food rewards.

- Watering: Water is provided via automatic lixits in the inside pens. Lixits are checked when

cleaning is preformed to ensure they are working properly. - Daily Health Assessment: During the non-hibernation period, a daily health assessment will be

conducted on all bears by the care/research personnel. Health indicators include appetite, behavior, activity level, stool quality and a general visual assessment for injury/illness. All assessments will be documented. All health incidents (injury/illness/adverse reaction) will be reported to OCV by phone call or through the OCV health database.

- During winter hibernation, housing, daily assessment, cleaning and feeding are modified to

limit disturbance as described in the following section.

Winter Hibernation - Beginning in late fall, food provided to the bears is gradually reduced to trigger the processes of hibernation. Eventually by late October or early November, all feeding is stopped and activity in the facility is minimized. With the exception of infrequently going into the bear areas to collect data, staff and researchers stay out of the bear areas and not disturb the animals. Bears are never deprived of water. Inside pens are deep bedded with straw. Wooden panels may or may not be placed around the outside pens to help reduce visual disturbances to the bears. Depending on research being performed, bears may be sedated during hibernation for the collection of data and their condition evaluated at that time (described under veterinary care).

- Animals and facilities are monitored regularly by research staff during hibernation. For bears

in the home facility, the monitoring is done remotely using the video cameras that are in each den and run. Bears are visually checked daily via the video system to ensure their behavior is within normal limits (See below for further discussion).

- Parameters and Processes for Intervention during Hibernation: Hibernation is a process of energy conservation. Thus, our main concern when putting bears into hibernation is that they minimize activity and thereby efficiently use their energy stores. Consequently, we are far more concerned by excess activity than by prolonged inactivity, which would be welcomed. When we see a bear that is more active for a prolonged period of time than it should be or has been in the past, the bear faculty, staff, and attending veterinarian will discuss if we should intervene. That discussion will include time left to complete hibernation, body condition going into hibernation, possible causes for the increased activity, and whether we feel the bear will calm down. If the conclusion is that the bear will not be able to complete hibernation, the discussion will center on either euthanasia or initiating feeding. Because we don't have the facilities to feed one bear and not the rest that are hibernating (i.e., all will want to be fed), feeding can be initiated only if another housing arrangement can be identified. That may include releasing the bear into the exercise yard with food and water being provided daily through the fence.

Preventive Medicine and Colony Health Care: - Daily Assessment & Notification: Animals are assessed daily by direct visual contact or via

camera (hibernation). If an animal is noted as being ill or injured at any time, veterinary staff will be notified. All health incidents will be reported to OCV by phone call or through the OCV health database.

- Acquisition and Quarantine: New bears are acquired through state or federal wildlife agencies

or by breeding resident bears. When new bears are brought in from the outside (i.e., wild bears), they will receive a general physical exam when removed from the transport crate and will be treated for any identified health issues. New bears are isolated in runs separate from resident bears for a minimum of 4 weeks before being introduced. Diagnostic testing will vary depending on the specific situation with each new bear but at minimum, a complete physical exam and fecal examination for parasites and subsequent treatment with antihelminthics (ivermectin or other as prescribed by the veterinarian) will be conducted in quarantine.

- Health Monitoring and Routine Physical Examination: During the non-hibernation phase, daily

appetite, behavior and activity will be monitored by the research/care personnel and used as an indicator of general health. During routine sedations for research purposes, each bear will be checked for external parasites, body condition, injury, and other health related issues. Similarly, bears will be weighed at least quarterly (outside of hibernation) to provide another indicator of health. A complete physical examination including routine blood work and a dental exam will be performed on each resident bear at least annually as sedation opportunities present. Bears trained for echocardiography and blood sampling without sedation will have a modified annual physical examination conducted awake unless there is a health problem or a scheduled sedation.

- Parasite Control: A fecal examination for internal parasites will be conducted on all imported bears and annually on resident bears. Pelt exams for external parasites will be conducted when bears are sedated for other purposes. Pending results, bears will be treated for internal and external parasites on an as-needed basis. Possible treatments are

o Ivermectin (1% sterile solution) will be given either orally or by i.m. injection at a

dose rate of 0.2 mg/kg (1 ml/110 lbs)for round worms or other internal parasites, and at a dose rate of 0.6 mg/kg (3 mls/110 lbs) for mites and hair loss. Rubbing and hair loss on the posterior occurs in some bears each fall in response to irritation from mites. To minimize hair loss, ivermectin treatment begins as soon as hair loss is noted, which generally begins +/- August 1, and continues either as needed for adult animals that are less affected to biweekly in younger, more affected bears.

o Moxidectin (ivermectin derivative) 0.2- 0.4 mg/kg orally or SC injection o Fenbendazole 25 mg/kg/day for 1-3 days orally for nematodes o Pyrantal pamoate 5-12 mg/kg/d for 3 days orally for nematodes o Praziquantal 5-10 mg/kg orally once for tapeworms

- Reproductive Management: Depending on research objectives and need for additional bears,

females may be given reproductive suppressants. This may include either Suprelorin and/or Megesterol acetate. According to the Contraception Center at the St Louis Zoo, GnRH agonist are the safest, most effective contraception methods for bears (after ovari-hysterectomy and castration). http://www.stlzoo.org/animals/scienceresearch/contraceptioncenter/contraceptionrecommendatio/contraceptionmethods/ursidae/. Suprelorin® (deslorelin), a GnRH agonist, effects contraception by temporarily suppressing the reproductive endocrine system and preventing production of pituitary (FSH and LH) and gonadal hormones (estradiol and progesterone in females and testosterone in males). The observed effects are similar to those following ovariectomy or castration, but are reversed after the hormone content of the implant is depleted or the implant is removed. As an agonist, deslorelin may first stimulate the reproductive system, which can result in estrus and ovulation in females or temporary enhancement of testosterone and semen production in males. Then, down-regulation follows the initial period of stimulation. The estrus and ovulation that can occur within 2 weeks following implant insertion can be suppressed with oral supplemental progestin (Megestrol acetate -Ovaban®)

treatment for 2 weeks (7 days prior to and 7 days after implant insertion). The implant comes pre-loaded in an insertion device (similar to an identification microchip). The ideal site will vary by species, but examples of those that have been successful have been SQ in the fleshy portion at the base of the ear, inner area of the leg (front or rear), and the umbilical area. An area with adequate vascularization should be chosen in order to ensure a sufficient dose is absorbed. Fatty, bony and cartilaginous areas should be avoided in favor of sites with more muscle.

Dose Suprelorin: two to three 4.7mg implants per adult female bear Dose Megesterol: 0.5-1.0 mg/kg daily for 2 weeks

For males, we've found that small daily doses of megestrol acetate (0.5-1.0 mg/kg daily) from mid-April through July are helpful in behavioral management during the breeding season when females are on reproductive suppressants and we have no need for breeding males. This treatment suppress the aggression such that the two breeding males can be housed together. Once breeding season is over, the males no longer need or receive megestrol acetate.

- Immobilization of Bears: Animals are sedated regularly, depending on research needs, by

research staff. Prior to sedation, maropitant citrate (Cerenia® 0.6-2.0 mg/kg) may be given either the night before or up to 2 hrs prior to anesthesia to minimize vomiting. Agents used for sedating include Telazol (T), Ketamine (K), Dexmedetomidine, and Xylazine (X), either separately or in combination. Usual dosages for the TKX mixture are 2.0 mg/kg (Telazol), 0.9 mg/kg (Ketamine), and 0.9 mg/kg (Xyzaline). Usual dosages for the T/DexM mixture during the active season are 2.5 mg T/kg and 6.25 ug DexM/kg. During hibernation, we use 1 mg T/kg and 2.5 ug DexM/kg. If a Ketamine/Xyzaline combination is used for sedation, the dose is 5 mg/kg Ketamine and 1 mg/kg Xylazine. If Telazol is used alone during the active season, the dose is 5 to 7 mg/kg, but only 1.5 to 2 mg/kg during hibernation. If mixtures of Telazol/Dexmedetomidine are used, the mixture can be reversed with atipamezole at 10 times the amount of DexM given, or 62.5 ug/kg during the active season and 25 ug/kg during hibernation. Exact dosages depend on the condition of the animal and the procedures to be performed. Finally, famotidine (0.6 mg/kg) may be given intravenously just prior to reversing the anesthesia to suppress gastric acid.

Veterinary Care:

- Veterinary care is provided by either the resident bear research veterinarian (Dr. Lynne Nelson), the OCV veterinary staff, or the Veterinary Teaching Hospital depending on the situation at the time. Bears are evaluated by the Principal Investigator and appropriate veterinary staff. Minor problems are treated at the facility by the research or veterinary staff. If an animal requires more intense veterinary treatment and/or diagnostic testing, animals are sedated, crated, and transported to the VTH via a pick-up truck. Animal and level of sedation are monitored by research and veterinary staff during transit and veterinary procedures at VTH. Once veterinary care has been provided, the animal is transported back to the Bear Facility for recovery. Any further treatments or monitoring are performed by the research or veterinary staff.

- Minor wound care: Bears occasionally sustain minor injuries during social interactions. Minor wounds which can heal without additional sedations & treatment will be monitored daily for signs of infection and to ensure healing. If minor wounds worsen, become infected or do not show signs of resolution in a timely fashion, veterinary consultation will occur.

- Transient gastrointestinal symptoms may occur such as occasional vomiting. Animals may experience transient symptoms due to a sedation procedure or with diet alterations. Animals will be monitored for activity level & hydration status. If the symptoms worsen or do not resolve within 3 days, veterinary consultation will occur.

Escaped Bear Although no bear has escaped in the past 30 years, the following are guidelines for handling both people and bears should a resident bear escape:

Campus security or city police are to immediately notify Dr. Robbins or his designate in his absence and the campus veterinarian about an escape issue.

Should the bear move into a populated area or attract viewers, security/police are to move all people away from the bear and not try to interfere with the bear in anyway.

When Dr. Robbins or his designate arrive on site, they will attempt to drug the bear and move it back to the WSU bear facility. The time between notification of an escape and the arrival of Dr. Robbins on site could be in excess of 30 minutes because of the need to gather drugging/darting equipment. Large, anesthetized bears could require up to 8 people to lift into a vehicle, so adequate personnel need to be available.

Lethal force is to be considered the very last alternative and only used if people are in clear danger.

Animal Care Personnel Animal care is provided by the principal investigator, research personnel, and students. All personnel are trained by the principal investigator prior to working in the facility. Staff are provided with coveralls and boots to wear when performing duties. All individuals working in the facility are informed of the WSU Animal Contact Program and encouraged to register in the program.

Transport of Bears outside of the Bear Facility All sub-adult or adult bears, whether drugged or not, trained or wild, that are being transported to facilities outside of the core bear pens and adjacent rooms will be confined to transport crates. This includes movement of bears to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, 199G, or more distant locations. Young cubs that are being bottle-raised and are unable to even walk are transported in high-walled plastic tubs. As the cubs develop more coordination, they are confined to appropriate-sized airline carrying crates during transport.

Environmental Enrichment/Behavioral/Social Management - Bears are either housed with a compatible cage mate or individually. Individually housed

bears can see, smell, and interact with other bears through cage bars. When not in hibernation, bears are rotated out of the small runs into the 2-acre exercise yard as frequently as possible, preferably on a daily basis. Bears are exercised in compatible groups, i.e., young bears with other young bears, older bears with older bears. Bears can forage on the natural vegetation in the yard and always have access to water and air conditioning in their home den. A large water tank, sprinklers, and shade trees are provided for additional cooling during the summer.

- In an effort to give the bears as much time as possible in the large exercise yard, we attempt to

form groups of bears that can be released safely together. This is based on behavioral assessment of the Bear Center staff based on long-term viewing of the interaction of the bears when confined next to each other. This is always a difficult judgment in that we want to get the bears out of their dens and runs as much as possible. In general, cubs and subadults are never released with bears other than their mother or similar aged bears. When dealing with adults, new bears are not released with resident bears for many months and until the staff feel that there is a good chance that the individuals will not harm each other. However, there is always a risk when dealing with large, dangerous animals. Consequently, we have at least 4 staff at the facility when a new release occurs to man doors and hoses such that bears might be separated if a fight occurs. Unfortunately, there can not be any drugging of bears at these times because that would only ensure that the drugged bear would be unable to defend itself once the drugs began taking affect.

General herd management: Herd management in terms of population size and age and sex classes housed at the Center is a continuous, ongoing process. Because of limited facilities, all bears housed at the Center must have a short- and long-term research purpose. We are not a zoo that can afford to house bears for their entire life without a research purpose. Because of research needs, we generally like to have a mix of young bears and older adults. For many years, we've had a mixture of wild bears that have to be anesthetized for any hands-on research, and bottle-raised bears that can be manipulated and sampled without anesthesia for non-invasive purposes. Bottle raised bears are trained to enter a crate and present a leg for blood sampling or injections. If invasive research is to be performed, they will receive an injection of anesthetic drugs prior to the treatment identified in the research protocol. Euthanasia and disposition: All bears older than 4 mo. are first anesthetized with the T/DexM mixture (see above) via injecting or darting and then euthanized with an iv overdose of pentobarbital (i.e., Beuthanasia-D solution, 390mg/mL concentration). We use the large animal dose of 10 mL/100lb body weight. For all cubs less than 4 mo. old (i.e., very small cubs), they will be anesthetized with isoflurane prior to intracardiac or intravenous Beuthanasia injection. Death will be confirmed by induction of a pneumothorax and/or collection of vital tissues (heart, brain). Tissue samples may be taken either prior to or just after euthanasia per approval in other animal use protocols or as directed by

the veterinary staff for diagnostic reasons. Subsequently, all parts, including bones, hide, claws, etc. that are not used for diagnostic, scientific or educational purposes or requested and approved to be given to 3rd parties by the USFWS for other purposes, will be sent to the WSU incinerator.

From: Keane, Christopher Sent: Wednesday, December 23, 2015 5:02 PM To: Kerr, Colleen Elizabeth Cc: Woodford, Nina Subject: Briefing on Bear Center Hello Colleen: I’m writing to introduce Dr. Nina Woodford, who has taken over the supervisory duties in the Office of the Campus Veterinarian. Nina will contact you directly to arrange a briefing on the Bear Center. Best Chris Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research Professor of Physics Washington State University French Administration 422 P.O. Box 646525, Pullman, WA 99164-6525 509-335-3574 (W) 509-335-5515 (fax)

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Wednesday, March 02, 2016 3:48 PM To: Powell, Charlie Subject: disposition Attachments: Disposition Table 122315.xlsx Here is the table. This does not include the 2 euthanasias in January

Number Date Animal Info Disposition / Comments Planned or unexpected/notification

1 winter 2009/2010 "Steff"adult male bear from USFWS. Euthanized in hibernation for research (healthy) planned for research

2&3 1/19/2010 "Chester & Remi"one year old bears hibernating in culvert traps, found weak/shaky, euthanized both after about 24 hrs of care unexpected illness followed by euthanasia

4 9/1/2010 "Gunner" 200 lb. young male Mauled by 2 adult females 9/31/10WSU Press Release (OCV helped respond) unexpected death

5&6 Spring 2011 2 cubs euthanized 4/22/2011 population control planned euthanasia of excess cubs born winter 2011 planned for population control

7 Feb-11 "Bond"adult bear from NW Montana. Euthanized in hibernation for research (healthy) planned for research

8 5/10/2011 "Sig"Young bear acquired from USFWS w/ chronic lameness . Euthanized -Necropsy report-severe osteochondrosis of hip

planned due to medical condition present when acquired from USFWS

9 1/17/2014 "Sam"Necropsy report done 1/17/14 3 year old male found dead in culvert trap during hibernation. Gastric ulcers & kidney mass unexpected death

10 6/3/2014 "Mica" hand-reared female Found dead, necropsy report: perforated uterus, abdominal sepsis Submitted to OVC Animal Health Database unexpected death

11 2/15/2015 "Tag"4 year old male bear-planned euthanasia & tissue collection on 2/3/15 after hibernation in culvert planned for research

12 &13 Spring 2015 2 cubs euthanizedpopulation control planned euthanasia of excess cubs born winter 2015. 4 cubs needed and 6 born planned for population control

Summary

2010 Two yearling bears euthanized due to severe illness during culvert trap hibernation2015 1 three year old bear found dead during culvert trap hibernation2010 One young male bear killed by 2 adult females

2011 & 2015 4 infant cubs euthanized for population control (excess cubs born & insufficient room to house all if raised to adulthood)2010, 2011 & 2015 3 healthy adult male bears euthanized after/during hibernation for research & population management

2011 one young bear euthanized due to medical condition present when acquired from USFWS2014 One adult female bear found dead-perforated uterus

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Wednesday, December 09, 2015 2:35 PM To: Barnard-La Pointe, Kathryn R.; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae Cc: Ryan, Terrance; Kluzik, Mike; Keane, Christopher Subject: disposition table Attachments: Disposition Table 120915.xlsx Good afternoon, I have attached a table describing disposition of animals from the WSU Bear Center over the last 6 years. I set up an appointment for Friday morning at 8 am to discuss the table with Dr. Kidwell. If you’d like to meet sooner, please let me know Thanks Nina Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

Number Date Animal Info Disposition / Comments Notifications

1winter 2009/2010 "Steff"

adult male bear from USFWS. Euthanized in hibernation for research (healthy) planned

2&3 1/19/2010 "Chester & Remi"one year old bears hibernating in culvert traps, found weak/shaky, euthanized both after about 24 hrs of care

4 9/1/2010 "Gunner" 200 lb. young male Mauled by 2 adult females 9/31/10 WSU Press Release (OCV helped respond)


7 Feb-11 "Bond"adult bear from NW Montana. Euthanized in hibernation for research (healthy) planned



9 1/17/2014 "Sam"Necropsy report done 1/17/14 3 year old male found dead in culvert trap during hibernation. Gastric ulcers & kidney mass found dead

10 6/3/2014 "Mica" hand-reared femaleFound dead, necropsy report: perforated uterus, abdominal sepsis Submitted to OVC Animal Health Database

11 2/15/2015 "Tag"4 year old male bear-planned euthanasia & tissue collection on 2/3/15 after hibernation in culvert planned


Summary




199G care sheets present from ARUmonth & year # animals

Nov-09 51-Dec 5

Jan-10 5Feb-10 5

Nov-10 3Dec-10 3Jan-11 3Feb-11 3Mar-11 3

Nov-11 3Dec-11 3Jan-12 3Feb-12 3Mar-12 3

Jan-13 3 then 4Feb-13 413-Mar ?

13-Nov 713-Dec 714-Jan 714-Feb 7 pulled 2/23/14

14-Nov 414-Dec 415-Jan 415-Feb 4 pulled 2 on 2/2/15 and other 2 on 2/3/15

name DOB/DOA source still here?Bears present at Bear Center 11/24/15Cookie 2008 @4-5 years wild yOakley 2008@4-5 years wild yFrank 1/1/2002 semi-wild yJohn 1/1/2002 semi-wild yKio 2005 WSU yPeeka 2005 WSU yLuna 2003 WSU yPacino 1/1/2011 WSU yRoan 1/1/2011 WSU yAdak 12/27/2014 WSU yDodge 12/27/2014 WSU yWillow 1/11/2015 WSU yZuri 12/27/2014 WSU yBears not present at Bear Center 11/24/15Mica 1/1/2007 WSU NTag 1/1/2011 WSU NSam 1/1/2011 NSig 1/10/2010 NCooke' s 2011 cubs ? N= 3

1/1/2011 WSU ???Samoa ? N

2009 cubs N= 3, 2 male 1 female 1/1/2009? WSU ???Chester 1/1/2009? NRemi 1/1/2009? NGunner 1/1/2009? NWinnie NNemo Reb ?? NBond 1/1/2008 N

disposition

Pyometra 6/3/14 necropsyplanned euth 2/3/15 - no necropsy reportfound dead-gastric ulcers & septicemia 1/17/14 necropsyeuth for osteochodrosis/chronic lameness 5/6/11 necropsy

???

???hand written report labeled Chester/Remi in Oakley's record-bear found weak& shaky and euthanized after 24 hrs of supportive care on 1/19/10hand written report labeled Chester/Remi in Oakley's record-bear found weak& shaky and euthanized after 24 hrs of supportive care on 1/19/10Mauled 9/31/10listed on 2008 weight chart- no record after 7/16/2008listed on 2008 weight chart- no record after 7/6/2008???

kidney biopsy 3/5/14actival removal 3/5/14actival removal 3/5/14actival removal 3/5/14

actival removal 2/23/15 & 3/5/14?actival removal 2/23/15, kidney biopsy 3/5/142015 birth, frequent regurgitation/neospora suspect2015 birth,mites, neospora suspect2015 birth,mites, neospora suspect, aural hematoma2015 birth,hyperextension of limb/neospora suspect

kidney biopsy on 2/26/14?

record in weight binder on 4/10/2011- is this Sam& Tag and who? Does Sam= Samoa? Record of cub euthanized in April 2011 in CSL. Is that the 3rd cub?record in administered drug log 2010-present, drugged at 56# on 6/30/2011 -suspect born winter 2011. is this Sam?

records in weight binder on 4/29/2009 to 9/20/15. Is this Chester, Remi & Gunner??

sam & tag are brothers DOB 2011 (Cooke)Roan & Pacino are brothers DOB 2011 (Oakley)

From: Keane, Chris Sent: Monday, March 07, 2016 7:45 AM To: Peterson, Kristina A; Mittelhammer, R C; Austin, Erica Weintraub; Kerr, Colleen Elizabeth;

Strenge, Robert L; Coursey, Marta; Lockard, Laura; Harris, Therese R; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae Cc: Watson, Sandy; Woodford, Nina; Kluzik, Mike Subject: Edits on Bear Center Q+A Attachments: CAHNRS QA_OR_comment.docx All: Attached are some suggested edits on the Bear Q+A. Thanks Kim to you and colleagues for putting this and the other documents together. Note the added questions on “what does the report say,” to be filled in tomorrow, and “what actions has WSU taken.” CAHNRS and OR/OCV have taken a number of actions since last December and I think that “proactive” behavior should be communicated. With these changes, the document should cover both the CAHNRS and OCV perspective- i.e. it should be a “university” document. Also, as this is a Q+A, with pieces to be filled in tomorrow, I suggest this be kept for internal use only and not be posted- at least for tomorrow’s release. Thanks Chris Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research Professor of Physics Washington State University French Administration 422 P.O. Box 646525, Pullman, WA 99164-6525 509-335-3574 (W) 509-335-5515 (fax) From: Peterson, Kristina A Sent: Friday, March 4, 2016 5:20 PM To: Keane, Chris <[email protected]> Cc: Watson, Sandy <[email protected]> Subject: FW: BC Documents for Final Approval Importance: High Dear Dr. Keane, Please find attached the most recent version of the handouts from today’s (March 4) meeting. Warmly, Kristina

Kristina Peterson-Wilson | Executive Assistant Office of the Provost & Executive Vice President | Washington State University French Administration Building 436 | PO Box 641046 | Pullman WA 99164-1046 (509) 335-8915 | [email protected]

From: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae Sent: Friday, March 04, 2016 1:56 PM To: Austin, Erica Weintraub Cc: Mittelhammer, R C; Kerr, Colleen Elizabeth; Marta Coursey; Strenge, Robert L; Lockard, Laura; Harris, Therese R; Peterson, Kristina A Subject: BC Documents for Final Approval Importance: High Erica, I am sending you what Marta and I hope are the finalized documents for the bear center issue. Please review these, and consult with others as you deem appropriate, to finalize them. Please send the finalized edited documents back to Marta in one package. We will use these to activate the plan. I assume that you and Kristina will distribute these to the appropriate parties once finalized. Please let us know if you need further assistance from us. Thank you, Kim Dr. Kim Kidwell, Professor Acting Dean College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences Washington State University PO Box 646243 Pullman, WA 99164-6242 Phone: 509-335-3590 email: [email protected]

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March 4, 2016


Commented [KC1]: Suggest we don’t release this.

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that would have been killed if they hadn't found a new home at WSU. We have studied bears ever since. How many bears live at the Bear Research Center? The Bear Center generally houses between 10 and 12 bears. Why is WSU reviewing the Bear Center? Following a public request for information, WSU Vice President for Research Christopher Keane called for a preliminary review of the WSU Bear Center Program last fall. The preliminary review team commenced work in October 2015. Based on preliminary findings the university elected to execute a formal review led by the Office of the Provost. This review report will be issued on Tuesday, March 8, 2016. Who oversees the Bear Center? Dr. Nina Woodford of the Office of the Campus Veterinarian is serving as interim director of the Office of Campus Veterinarian during this period. Dr. Keith Blatner, professor in the School of the Environment, is serving as interim director of the Bear Center to oversee operations. How does the university ensure wellbeing of research animals? The wellbeing of animals under the university’s care, including the bears at the Bear Center, is the top priority of the WSU animal care program. WSU has operated a large animal research program, with more than 20,000 animals, for decades. The program has been regularly reviewed and inspected by federal and other agencies and has maintained continuous accreditation since 1979. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regularly conducts unannounced inspections of the Bear Center and other WSU animal care facilities. The last inspection was conducted in July 2015. No major findings were identified. WSU is accredited has been reviewed by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC) since 1979. The last AAALAC accreditation visit occurred in fall 2015, which

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conducted its latest routine visit in fall 2015. We expect to have ourreceive our letter of full accreditation renewed continuation very soon. AAALAC is a private, nonprofit organization that promotes the humane treatment of animals in science through voluntary accreditation and assessment programs. What agencies are responsible for animal care and use regulatory compliance? The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Animal Welfare Division, within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers the federal Animal Welfare Act and serves as regulatory enforcement arm for the USDA (Source: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalwelfare/sa_awa/ct_awa_program_information). The USDA requires research facilities to have an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). This committee conducts facility inspections, reviews all proposed research, investigates complaints of inappropriate animal care and use, and is responsible for certifying the care, use, and disposal of all research animals (Source: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_welfare/2014/fsc_research_oversight.pdf). At WSU, IACUC informs the Office of Research, which is headed by Christopher Keane, Vice President for Research. Together, they are responsible for all research animals at WSU through the Office of the Campus Veterinarian. What are the major findings of the Provost review of the Bear Center? (Complete Tuesday AM) What is WSU doing to improve the situation at the Bear Center? WSU has an effective safety and assurances program which requires additional effort as the WSU research enterprise expands its scope, reach, and statewide impact. Enhancing compliance/oversight has been a top budget/staffing priority for the VPR since arrival at WSU in July 2014. Dean Kidwell and Dr. Keane are working together to strengthen the

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Bear Center and ensure its continued preeminence as a research facility. Specific actions include: a) Enhanced oversight of the Bear Center by CAHNRS and the Campus Veterinarian. b) A Bear Center facility director has been hired and will commence work in mid-March. This will improve general facility maintenance, record keeping, and regular bear health status reporting. c) The Office of Research has strengthened IACUC post-approval reviews- this was in progress before this incident and will benefit the entire animal care program. d) An external review of the WSU animal care program has been in preparation and will be launched within the next month. e) WSU Interim President Bernardo has launched a WSU safety initiative. This initiative will enhance the culture of safety overall at WSU, including laboratory safety and compliance, and support growth in the size, reach, and mission impact of WSU’s research effort. To summarize: compliant work is safe work. How has research at the Bear Center helped bears? Research at the Bear Center has made a number of discoveries that can help maintain a healthy population of wild bears. WSU has learned that a bear’s size, fat, and cub production are related to its food resources. Certain foods are especially important to bears; changes to ecosystems affect their availability. Researchers have learned how to understand grizzlies’ diets by analyzing a single hair, helping scientists determine if bears get enough of the right foods to eat. The painless, non-invasive technique helps determine how wild bears are recovering and if they have enough habitat to meet their food needs. Our research has found that human activities that disrupt foraging by bears on salmon or other important seasonal food resources could seriously harm individual bears or their populations. Bear-viewing affects both the number of bears and the age and sex ratio of bears willing to visit salmon streams


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while people are present. In the field of ecology, WSU research has shown that salmon-eating grizzly bears are extremely important in moving nutrients from the ocean back to the land. How has research at the Bear Center helped people? Bears’ remarkable adaptations may help solve human health concerns. Studies of how bears’ hearts naturally adapt during hibernation may benefit people or pets with heart disease. Bed-ridden patients may benefit from studies of how bears maintain muscle strength and mass during hibernation, essentially exercising while they sleep. Bears are able to acquire massive amounts of fat and yet remain completely healthy, which may shed light on human obesity-related pathologies. Why is the university fundraising for an International Bear Center? A new International Bear Center has been proposed to replace the current Bear Center on the WSU Campus. The International Bear Center would increase the space available for bears, the number of bears that could be housed, and the amount of research that could be conducted. The new center would continue to house bears that need to be removed from the wild due to human conflicts, and would also serve local and regional resource agencies by providing a temporary home for injured, orphaned, or sick bears. Initial costs are estimated at $20 million. The new center will include 18 housing units with dens, 20 acres of natural environments: two five-acre yards and one 10-acre yard, with pools. Also planned are veterinary medical facilities, a nutritional management facility, a kitchen with food storage and preparation areas, video surveillance and digital monitoring, and a conference meeting space and offices. A Board of Directors, composed of university faculty, state and federal agency biologists, and conservation and industry representatives with interest in bears, will be established to oversee and advise on all research and educational programs. Are Yellowstone grizzlies being delisted from endangered status? The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on March 3, 2016, proposed to remove the grizzly bear in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem from the federal lists

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of endangered and threatened wildlife. The proposed rule is being published in the Federal Register, and public comments are being sought for 60 days. A decision will follow. The Yellowstone grizzly population rebounded from as few as 136 in 1975 to more than 700 today. Stable population numbers mean Yellowstone is at or near its carrying capacity for the bears.

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Wednesday, February 17, 2016 4:04 PM To: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Erdman, Phyllis; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike;

'[email protected]' Subject: FW: 2016-017235; EHS Rooms 8 and 10, Remove walls and doors, Cost Proposal FYI From: Charles T. Robbins [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, February 17, 2016 3:49 PM To: Sturko, Michael Matthew <[email protected]>; Blatner, Keith Allan <[email protected]>; Woodford, Nina <[email protected]>; Miller, Darlene Rae <[email protected]> Cc: Cole, Ronald Craig <[email protected]>; Fischer, Christopher J <[email protected]>; Naylor, Colleen Marie <[email protected]>; Kamerrer, Kathleen Fae <[email protected]>; Cornish, Kelly Elizabeth <[email protected]>; Jones, Kellie Jo <[email protected]>; Kennedy, Saren M <[email protected]>; Simmons, Emily Rae <[email protected]>; Hamburg, Staci <[email protected]>; Lowman, Craig A <[email protected]>; Plummer, Jessica A <[email protected]>; Cunningham, Aaron A <[email protected]>; Potratz, Steven John <[email protected]>; Ringo, Shawn Patrick <[email protected]>; Plotner, Todd <[email protected]>; Hemphill, Charles <[email protected]> Subject: RE: 2016-017235; EHS Rooms 8 and 10, Remove walls and doors, Cost Proposal Mike: Please move forward with designing the external covering of the concrete platform at the far end of the Bear Facility---i.e., the external project that you’ve listed as the second option for $28,000 to $30,000. Budget 15T-3046-1001 Please move forward as soon as you can. Thanks. Charles T. Robbins From: Sturko, Michael Matthew [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, February 15, 2016 3:41 PM To: Blatner, Keith Allan; Robbins, Charles T Cc: Cole, Ronald Craig; Fischer, Christopher J; Naylor, Colleen Marie; Kamerrer, Kathleen Fae; Cornish, Kelly Elizabeth; Jones, Kellie Jo; Kennedy, Saren M; Simmons, Emily Rae; Hamburg, Staci; Lowman, Craig A; Plummer, Jessica A; Sturko, Michael Matthew; Cunningham, Aaron A; Potratz, Steven John; Ringo, Shawn Patrick; Plotner, Todd; Hemphill, Charles Subject: 2016-017235; EHS Rooms 8 and 10, Remove walls and doors, Cost Proposal Dear Keith and Charlie, Thank you for contacting Facilities Services. In response to your request, I have prepared the following conceptual estimate and a proposal for preliminary design. If you wish to move forward with preliminary design, please complete the section below marked “Customer Required Information” and reply (to all). If you would prefer not to move forward with preliminary design, please reply and let us know if you would like to defer this project to a specific date, cancel the project, or if you would like to have me resubmit the

proposal based on revisions or new information. Either way, we would appreciate your response as soon as possible. If we do not hear back from you within the next 45 days, this project will be cancelled. Mike Sturko Facilities Services-Project Management Group Washington State University [email protected] 509-335-9006 or 509-432-1105

CONCEPTUAL OPINION OF BUDGET This is an opinion of total project budget based on a limited evaluation of the scope of work and site conditions and is therefore subject to variability. Date: 2/15/16 Probable Construction Method: Facilities Services Shops Reason for Work: The bear facilities manager needs a larger space to accommodate the use of a bear monitoring equipment in the ground level space of EHS building rooms 8 and 10. Scope of Work Proposed for EHS building rooms 8 and 10 to include:

Design consultant will be required for electrical and structural design. Excludes network cable termination, testing and activation work. Good faith survey will be required because asbestos containing materials maybe disturbed. Excludes asbestos abatement. Excludes disassemble/reassemble and moving new equipment into the new space. Disconnect HVAC control air copper tubing from CMU wall and relocate to ceiling to accommodate wall

and ceiling removal. Disconnect electrical conduit from CMU wall and relocate to ceiling, install junction boxes for new wires

to accommodate wall and ceiling removal. Disconnect HVAC vent ducts and fitting from ceilings/walls to accommodate wall and ceiling

removal. Install HVAC vent grilles on remaining wall. Remove metal wall/ceiling and door acoustical components. Remove 2 doors and 30' of CMU partition walls to open up rooms 8 and 10 Relocate metal gate to corridor 25. Remove existing 4-6x7-0 exterior exit door from north wall. Cut and remove exterior wall masonry to create a 5-4x7-0 wall opening for new 5-0x7-0 metal door. Install new metal masonry lintel on exterior building brick veneer. Fab and Install new vertical metal column to support interior concrete beam. Install new 5-0x7-0 metal door, frame and hardware in north exterior wall. Install 2 new surface mounted ceiling light fixtures and relocate light switch circuit for new space. Install new 220V, 60A circuit, breaker and receptacle for new space. Patch and paint interior masonry walls and ceiling in and adjacent to new space. Paint metal door and frame.

Design Budget: $11,000.00 - $13,000.00 Construction Budget: $43,000.00 - $44,000.00 Total Budget: $53,000.00 - $56,000.00

Optional Scope of Work Proposed for EHS building to accommodate access to west side yard from north parking lot to include:

Design consultant will be required. Excludes pre-engineered/fabricated metal canopy and wall cover over existing concrete pad on west

side yard. Excludes disassemble/reassemble and moving new equipment into the new space.

Modify existing pedestrian, chain-link fence and install new 6-0x8-0 chain link security gate. Modify existing animal containment, chain-link fence and install new 6-0x8-0 chain link security gate. Install 24'Lx10'H of solid metal panels on the north and east sides of the animal containment, chain-link

fence to block line of sight from north parking lot. Install 2 new surface mounted ceiling light fixtures and relocate light switch circuit. Install new 220V, 60A circuit, breaker and receptacles.


Known Project Schedule Constraints/Expectations: Bear facility manager requested the work be completed in

April 2016 Opinion of Project Duration (Design through Construction): 3-4 Months REQUEST FOR PRELIMINARY DESIGN FUNDING Approval is required to proceed with the preliminary phase, for a cost not to exceed: $13,000.00 for the interior option or $10,000.00 for the exterior option. This portion of the total will be used for expenses to provide: preliminary architectural, mechanical and electrical engineering/design consultant and Facilities Services administration. Following receipt from the signature authority below, we will begin the preliminary phase of the project. Customer Required Information: Funding Authority/Facility Liaison: Project Liaison: Account Code: Date:

From: Blatner, Keith Allan Sent: Monday, March 07, 2016 3:09 PM To: Woodford, Nina Subject: FW: attached Attachments: Charlie Powell Euthanasia of Grizzly Bears on Experimental Protocols.docx Nina Here it is Keith Keith A. Blatner Professor and Program Leader for Forestry School of the Environment Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-2812 Tel: 509-335-4499 Fax: 509-335-7862 Email: [email protected] From: Charles T. Robbins [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, March 07, 2016 10:20 AM To: Blatner, Keith Allan Subject: attached Attached. C

Humane Euthanasia of Grizzly Bears on Experimental Protocols at

Washington State University’s Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center

August 17, 2009 to August 17, 2015

The following is a statement based upon information provided in personal interviews with Drs. Charles T. Robbins and Nina Woodford, March 2, 2016.

Where do the bears come from?

The Washington State University Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center (WSU-BREC) obtains bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) in two ways; as wild, problem bears captured and provided to the university by wildlife agencies in lieu of their destruction or as captive born offspring of the current population.

How many bears can the university keep?

The WSU-BREC has the capacity to house up to 12 adult grizzly bears. Currently, there are 11 bears in residence on approved experimental protocols. We have long planned for a new Bear Center with a housing capacity of 25 bears.

Does the WSU-BREC employ humane euthanasia within its experimental protocols?

Yes. Humane euthanasia is a tool commonly used in biomedical research using animals. In the case of the WSU experimental group of grizzly bears, euthanasia is used for two reasons; 1) to manage group size, and 2) to control age and sex ratios as explained below.

How are bears humanely euthanized?

Optimal humane euthanasia protocols involve first sedating the animal into unconsciousness using an intramuscular (IM) dart when referring to adults or by intravenous (IV) or (IM) injection when employed with cubs. After the sedative has taken effect and the animal is unconscious and insensate (unable to feel anything), the animal is given an IV overdose of an anesthetic drug or drug compound usually containing sodium pentobarbital.

Euthanasia protocols are developed in accordance with established recommendations provided by the American Veterinary Medical Association in the latest edition of its AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia and as approved by the WSU Office of the Campus Veterinarian (WSU-OCV) and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

Who humanely euthanizes the bears?

Experimental animal protocols often permit researchers to humanely euthanize experimental animals when necessary or timely. Also, humane euthanasia can be provided as a service to researchers by personnel from the WSU-OCV. One does not have to be a veterinarian to perform humane euthanasia so long as the procedure is approved by the IACUC and the person

has received appropriate documented training. In all cases, humane euthanasia was performed by Dr. Charles T. Robbins, Dr. O. Lynne Nelson, Dr. Nina Woodford, Dr. Gay Lynn Clyde, or Dr. Heiko Jansen.

Why are bears humanely euthanized at WSU?

At WSU grizzly bears are humanely euthanized for several reasons. Two reasons are most prominent. The first is to manage group size since the WSU-BREC only has space for a maximum of 12 adult bears. The second reason is to manage the age and sex ratio of the bears.

Male grizzly bears can weigh up to 80 percent more than females. This more than doubles the expense of feeding them and their size makes them significantly more challenging to house and manage. Male bears are often more aggressive and present a greater safety risk to other WSU bears as well as WSU-BREC personnel.

Grizzly bears are polygamous. Accordingly, the university typically keeps only two male bears at the WSU-BREC at any time.

If no new males are needed to replace the current adults, then males that are accepted from the wild or born at WSU-BREC are euthanized when no longer needed in the research program. In this way, the number of WSU-BREC residents as well as the sex ratio is managed effectively.

An additional reason humane euthanasia is employed is for medical reasons. Bears that fall seriously ill, become injured, or suffer infirmities of aging are humanely euthanized. The WSU-BREC has also euthanized bears in hibernation as a part of approved and planned studies.

Why would the WSU-BREC humanely euthanize bears when the species is endangered? Can’t they be released into the wild?

In Washington, grizzly bears have been listed as an Endangered Species since 1980. Federally, they have been listed as Threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) since 1975. In the wild, the young typically stay with the female for two to three years before weaning. Keeping cubs with their mother in captivity until weaning is very difficult, time-consuming to manage, and costly if they are not going to remain in captivity as they must remain separate from all other bears. In the U.S., no captive-born grizzly bear has ever been released into the wild by federal or state natural resource agencies. Reasons for this include, the captives would not have the experience necessary to find appropriate foods and compete with resident wild bears. In all likelihood any such transplants would soon suffer hunger, malnutrition, or become food for another predator, perhaps even their own kind. Similarly, the liability associated with introducing a captive-born bear that had become habituated to people would far exceed what any university or state could accept. In the best judgement of the WSU-BREC and federal personnel responsible for recovering grizzly bear populations, humane euthanasia remains the best option for captive-born bears once they are no longer needed. When bears are needed for starting new wild populations or augmenting existing populations, experienced wild bears are trapped in one ecosystem and moved to the new ecosystem.

What happens to the bear carcasses when they are euthanized?

Bear carcasses remaining after humane euthanasia at WSU are usually the source of multiple tissues and fluids taken for study by various scientific groups at WSU and elsewhere. Any remains are then immediately delivered to the WSU Incinerator facility where they were incinerated in accordance with all applicable state and federal laws for disposal.

How many bears were humanely euthanized at WSU in the six year period in question?

The total number of bears humanely euthanized at WSU in the time period in question was 15. Two additional bears were humanely euthanized and properly disposed of in January 2016. For comparison, 24 grizzly bears were euthanized in 2015 and 72 in the past 5 years in the Yellowstone Ecosystem when they killed livestock or had become habituated to humans or human food resources. Prior to euthanasia, these Yellowstone bears were offered to the WSU-BREC and zoos around the world. No one could offer a home.

Is there a list or spreadsheet of the numbers of bears humanely euthanized, dates and the reason for each euthanasia?

Dr. Nina Woodford has the latest accounting spreadsheet.

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Wednesday, December 23, 2015 9:17 AM To: Ryan, Terrance Subject: FW: attorney-client confidential Attachments: Hello Terry,

Nina

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 2015 11:29 AM To: Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]> Subject: RE: attorney-client confidential Hello

Nina From: Ryan, Terrance Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2015 8:53 AM To: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]> Cc: Keane, Christopher <[email protected]> Subject: RE: attorney-client confidential

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Wednesday, December 09, 2015 1:10 PM To: Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]> Cc: Keane, Christopher <[email protected]> Subject: attorney-client confidential Hello Terry

4

4

4

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From: Keane, Chris Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2016 2:40 PM To: Kluzik, Mike; Woodford, Nina; Watson, Sandy Subject: FW: BC Documents for Final Approval Attachments: Kerr's Release Plan for 3-8.docx; KidwellProvostReportTalkPts_3 4 16.docx; Social Media Posts 3-

4.docx; Stakeholder Email 3-4.docx; Agency email 3-4-16.docx; CAHNRS Q&A.docx; Center Fact Sheet 3-3-16.docx; Internal Briefing_Mar4 2016.docx

Importance: High Hi Mike/Nina: FYI.. from last Friday’s conf. call. Will discuss further when we talk later today (Mike- I just spoke to Nina). Key events: Mon. 11AM Kim/Chris Prep for Tuesday media Tues. 7:30 AM Provost report released Tues. 8-2 PM Stakeholder notification Tues 2PM Press event (Kim, Chris, others) I think you should plan to attend the 11 AM prep tomorrow. Sandy will send you the time/location. Also- IMPORTANT: I will send you both edited versions of the above documents later tonight to review. Pls. edit them tonight- I need them for an early morning conference call tomorrow. Thanks Chris Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research Professor of Physics Washington State University French Administration 422 P.O. Box 646525, Pullman, WA 99164-6525 509-335-3574 (W) 509-335-5515 (fax) From: Peterson, Kristina A Sent: Friday, March 4, 2016 5:20 PM To: Keane, Chris <[email protected]> Cc: Watson, Sandy <[email protected]> Subject: FW: BC Documents for Final Approval Importance: High Dear Dr. Keane,

Please find attached the most recent version of the handouts from today’s (March 4) meeting. Warmly, Kristina Kristina Peterson-Wilson | Executive Assistant Office of the Provost & Executive Vice President | Washington State University French Administration Building 436 | PO Box 641046 | Pullman WA 99164-1046 (509) 335-8915 | [email protected]

From: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae Sent: Friday, March 04, 2016 1:56 PM To: Austin, Erica Weintraub Cc: Mittelhammer, R C; Kerr, Colleen Elizabeth; Marta Coursey; Strenge, Robert L; Lockard, Laura; Harris, Therese R; Peterson, Kristina A Subject: BC Documents for Final Approval Importance: High Erica, I am sending you what Marta and I hope are the finalized documents for the bear center issue. Please review these, and consult with others as you deem appropriate, to finalize them. Please send the finalized edited documents back to Marta in one package. We will use these to activate the plan. I assume that you and Kristina will distribute these to the appropriate parties once finalized. Please let us know if you need further assistance from us. Thank you, Kim Dr. Kim Kidwell, Professor Acting Dean College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences Washington State University PO Box 646243 Pullman, WA 99164-6242 Phone: 509-335-3590 email: [email protected]

Release Plan for: The Provost’s Report on Management of the Washington State University Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center: Preliminary Findings and Recommendations as requested by the Office of Research March 7, 2016 Time TBD: Initial briefing for Working Group and Communication Group 2:00pm – All materials finalized, includes statements, webpages, and all elements if the media toolkit March 8, 2016 7:30am – Final briefing on report for Working Group and Communication Group 8:00am-1:00pm – Stakeholder outreach per separate stakeholder contact strategy *2:00pm – Release of the Report by the Office of the VPR with an accompanying statement by the VPR:

Statement to include: VPR requested the investigation by the Office of the Provost, why the report, why we are releasing publicly, how we are addressing, includes a dedicated email address on VPR and Bear Center webpage – who will be staffing this email?. Scott Weybright/CAHNRS communications staffing [email protected]

Process: Report posted on VPR webpage and Bear Center webpage; accompanied by release on social media (see immediately below)

Social Media: WSU posts link to Provost’s Report on all VPR, CAHNRS Facebook

pages (any other college Facebook pages?) Deans will arrange meetings to brief their faculty

*2:00pm – Media availability: Dr Kim Kidwell, Acting Dean of CAHNRS, and Dr Chris Keane, VPR

Consecutive interviews pre-scheduled select media per Coursey/Strenge/Varner – to include AP, Moscow-Pullman Daily News, Lewiston Tribune

Facilitated by Coursey and Strenge, Kerr will also be on the call Kidwell addresses to the Bear Center, Keane speaks to research enterprise

We need to identify prep times for Kidwell and Keane MC coaching Kidwell Monday, March 7 at 11 a.m. Media tool kit:

Statement from VPR – draft completed and to Keane Link to Provost’s Report – in progress Bear Center Q&A – initial draft completed Bear Center General Fact Sheet – completed International Bear Center Fundraising 4-Pager – completed Selected stories on Bear Center from WSU News archive High-resolution photos of bears at center from College of Vet Medicine Video of center bears from CAHNRS Comms team

March 8, 9, and forward Development of message pieces around the research enterprise.

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NOT FOR RELEASE UNTIL APPROVED BY KIM KIDWELL AND THE PROVOST’S OFFICE Facebook post After receiving reports concerning Bear Research Center operations and the quality of care for our bears, WSU commissioned a Provost’s report of the center, available below. (include link to report) All of the bears are healthy and currently coming out of hibernation. WSU has successfully managed the bear program for decades within very strict federal and state animal welfare regulations and in partnership with many oversight agencies. As research animals, the bears are in service to the greater conservation effort to restore grizzly populations throughout the world. We will provide any updates as appropriate, knowing that these grizzly bears are important to WSU and the community. For more info, visit http://cahnrs.wsu.edu/bearinfo/. Facebook response to comments We appreciate your response and take the care of our bears seriously. We will continue to listen to and read all responses and provide updates on social media as they become available. Twitter post WSU has undertaken a review of the Bear Research Center. Click here for more details: http://cahnrs.wsu.edu/bearinfo/.

DRAFT BC BOILERPLATE FOR STAFF COMMUNICATION 3.4.16

Dear CAHNRS friend,

We wanted to let you know about recent media attention regarding the WSU Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center. We would like you to have accurate information regarding concerns about the bear program. After receiving reports about the Bear Center operations, and concerns about the quality of care for our bears, Acting CAHNRS Dean Kimberlee Kidwell and WSU Vice President for Research Christopher Keane have been conducting media interviews about the Bear Center.

We take these concerns very seriously. The Acting Dean and WSU executive leadership learned of possible issues with the Bear Center some time ago. Once alerted to the situation, Dr. Keane launched a preliminary review of the Bear Center. The review panel identified communications and protocol concerns that required an evaluation and subsequent report from the Provost’s office. In the interim, Nina Woodford is serving as Interim Attending Veterinarian for the Office of the Campus Veterinarian and Keith Blatner is serving as the Interim Director, in charge of the Center.

CAHNRS has successfully managed the bear program for decades within very strict federal and state animal welfare regulations and in partnership with many oversight agencies. All of the bears are healthy and coming out of hibernation.

Many of you know our bears. You also know that as research animals they are in service to the greater conservation effort to restore grizzly populations throughout the world. We will provide any updates as

appropriate, knowing that these grizzly bears are important not just to WSU but to the community.

Thank you for your support of CAHNRS and for caring for these bears as much as we do. You can find more information on the Bear Center and programming at http://cahnrs.wsu.edu/bearinfo/. If you have any questions or additional concerns, please feel free to email us at [email protected].

Hello, As an agency partner to Washington State University, we wanted you to be aware of current media attention surrounding our Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center. WSU commissioned a Provost’s report and we have put this report on our website. If you receive any media attention, please feel free to refer them to http://cahnrs.wsu.edu/bearinfo/ or Marta Coursey at [email protected]. Thank you.

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that would have been killed if they hadn't found a new home at WSU. We have studied bears ever since. How many bears live at the Bear Research Center? The Bear Center generally houses between 10 and 12 bears. Why is WSU reviewing the Bear Center? Following a public request for information, WSU Vice President for Research Christopher Keane called for a preliminary review of the WSU Bear Center Program last fall. The preliminary review team commenced work in October 2015. Based on preliminary findings the university elected to execute a formal review. Who oversees the Bear Center? Dr. Nina Woodford of the Office of the Campus Veterinarian is serving as interim director of the Office of Campus Veterinarian during this period. Dr. Keith Blatner, professor in the School of the Environment, is serving as interim director of the Bear Center to oversee operations. How does the university ensure wellbeing of research animals? The wellbeing of animals under the university’s care, including the bears at the Bear Center, is the top priority of the WSU animal care program. WSU has operated a large animal research program, with more than 20,000 animals, for decades. The program has been regularly reviewed and inspected by federal and other agencies and has maintained continuous accreditation since 1979. WSU is accredited by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC), which conducted its latest routine visit in fall 2015. We expect to have our accreditation renewed very soon. AAALAC is a private, nonprofit organization that promotes the humane treatment of animals in science through voluntary accreditation and assessment programs.

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What agencies are responsible for animal care and use regulatory compliance? The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers the federal Animal Welfare Act and serves as regulatory enforcement arm for the USDA (Source: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalwelfare/sa_awa/ct_awa_program_information). The USDA requires research facilities to have an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). This committee conducts facility inspections, investigates complaints of inappropriate animal care and use, and is responsible for certifying the care, use, and disposal of all research animals (Source: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_welfare/2014/fsc_research_oversight.pdf). At WSU, IACUC informs the Office of Research, which is headed by Christopher Keane, Vice President for Research. Together, they are responsible for all research animals at WSU through the Office of the Campus Veterinarian. How has research at the Bear Center helped bears? Research at the Bear Center has made a number of discoveries that can help maintain a healthy population of wild bears. WSU has learned that a bear’s size, fat, and cub production are related to its food resources. Certain foods are especially important to bears; changes to ecosystems affect their availability. Researchers have learned how to understand grizzlies’ diets by analyzing a single hair, helping scientists determine if bears get enough of the right foods to eat. The painless, non-invasive technique helps determine how wild bears are recovering and if they have enough habitat to meet their food needs.

3/4/2016 12:50 PM 2

Our research has found that human activities that disrupt foraging by bears on salmon or other important seasonal food resources could seriously harm individual bears or their populations. Bear-viewing affects both the number of bears and the age and sex ratio of bears willing to visit salmon streams while people are present. In the field of ecology, WSU research has shown that salmon-eating grizzly bears are extremely important in moving nutrients from the ocean back to the land. How has research at the Bear Center helped people? Bears’ remarkable adaptations may help solve human health concerns. Studies of how bears’ hearts naturally adapt during hibernation may benefit people or pets with heart disease. Bed-ridden patients may benefit from studies of how bears maintain muscle strength and mass during hibernation, essentially exercising while they sleep. Bears are able to acquire massive amounts of fat and yet remain completely healthy, which may shed light on human obesity-related pathologies. Why is the university fundraising for an International Bear Center? A new International Bear Center has been proposed to replace the current Bear Center on the WSU Campus. The International Bear Center would increase the space available for bears, the number of bears that could be housed, and the amount of research that could be conducted. The new center would continue to house bears that need to be removed from the wild due to human conflicts, and would also serve local and regional resource agencies by providing a temporary home for injured, orphaned, or sick bears. Initial costs are estimated at $20 million. The new center will include 18 housing units with dens, 20 acres of natural environments: two five-acre yards and one 10-acre yard, with pools. Also planned are veterinary medical facilities, a nutritional management facility, a kitchen with food storage and preparation areas, video surveillance and digital monitoring, and a conference meeting space and offices. A Board of Directors, composed of university faculty, state and federal agency biologists, and conservation and industry representatives with interest in bears, will be established to oversee and advise on all research and educational programs.

3/4/2016 12:50 PM 2

Are Yellowstone grizzlies being delisted from endangered status? The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on March 3, 2016, proposed to remove the grizzly bear in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem from the federal lists of endangered and threatened wildlife. The proposed rule is being published in the Federal Register, and public comments are being sought for 60 days. A decision will follow. The Yellowstone grizzly population rebounded from as few as 136 in 1975 to more than 700 today. Stable population numbers mean Yellowstone is at or near its carrying capacity for the bears.


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care program. Secondary talking points: Research animals provide critical scientific information to ensure a safe and

secure food supply for the world. WSU has operated a large animal research program (more than 20,000

animals) for decades. Animals used in research and teaching at WSU include fish, rats, mice, bats,

rabbits, chickens, pigs, sheep, goats, horses, deer, cows, reptiles and amphibians.






related procedure. Agencies and Partners The WSU Bear Center works with university and agency partners and voluntary accreditation organizations to ensure bear health and wellbeing. The university’s animal research program has been regularly reviewed and inspected by federal and other agencies and has maintained continuous accreditation since 1979. Involved units include:

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From: Keane, Chris Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2016 8:15 AM To: Woodford, Nina; Kluzik, Mike Subject: FW: Bear report Attachments: Management of the Washington State University Bear Research FINAL DRAFT.....docx Nina/Mike: Pls. don’t distribute further, and please review immediately. Mike- pls. call in to the 830 AM senior leadership mtg. to discuss this (54700, ID 4444). Thanks! Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research Professor of Physics Washington State University French Administration 422 P.O. Box 646525, Pullman, WA 99164-6525 509-335-3574 (W) 509-335-5515 (fax) From: Austin, Erica Weintraub Sent: Monday, March 7, 2016 8:52 PM To: Keane, Chris <[email protected]>; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae <[email protected]> Cc: Peterson, Kristina A <[email protected]> Subject: Bear report For you only this evening so you can begin to think about appropriate follow-up actions – although this says “final” please consider it a draft and please do not forward until we can discuss together in the am. I will provide the final, signed document to you after I meet with Craig at 7:30 am to formally receive the report and its recommendations. If you have any questions or concerns I can be reached at (home) or (cell). Please do not hesitate to call. I will be working on other deadlines for another hour or two.

Erica Weintraub Austin Interim Co-Provost Accreditation Liaison Officer and Proud Coug Mom French Administration 436 Pullman, WA 99164-1046 509-335-5581 Fax: 509-335-0103

14 14

Management of the Washington State University Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center: Findings and Recommendations

March 7, 2016

Craig Parks, Special Assistant to the Provost, Chair

Joe Harrison, Department of Animal Sciences, Puyallup Merle Heineke, Director, Research Laboratories, Spokane

Ram Kasimanickam, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences Fred Loaiza, Large Animal Supervisor, College of Veterinary Medicine

Steve Parish, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences John Swain, Animal Facility Manager, Knott Dairy

Introduction At the request of Dr. Erica W. Austin, Interim Co-Provost at Washington State University (WSU), this committee was formed to review the Washington State University Bear Research Program. This review was commissioned as a result of an inquiry into the Program that was conducted during the Fall 2015 semester at the request of Dr. Christopher J. Keane, Vice-President for Research. The purpose of this review is to report on the adequacy of the facilities used by the WSU Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center (Center); the degree and consistency of compliance with regulatory procedures pertaining to research on animals in general and bears specifically; and the extent of interaction between the Center and WSU’s Office of the Campus Veterinarian (OCV). The members of this committee have expertise in large animal health and reproduction, management of large animal housing and research facilities, federal animal research regulations, and standards for animal management recordkeeping. This report presents conclusions and recommendations that are the result of our review of documents, interviews with relevant personnel and outside experts, visits to the facilities, and internal discussions of said experiences. Background The Center is a unit within the School of the Environment, which is part of the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS). It is an arm of the Agricultural Research Center within the CAHNRS Office of Research, and as such is not covered by the centers/institutes/laboratories system governed by the Faculty Senate. The Center began in 1986. It is housed in the Environmental Health Services building (EHS) and shares the building with Environmental Health and Safety. There is an adjoining activity area that provides outdoor access and recreation for the bears. The Center also has access to Veterinary Isolation Barn 199G located approximately 0.2 miles away. EHS was built in 1964 as an animal behavior research facility for the Department of Psychology, with a wing added in the early 1970’s. It was originally called the Comparative Behavior Laboratory. Research was conducted on monkeys, cats, and rats, and there was an intention, never followed through on, to initiate research on sharks. In 1966 Psychology moved its cat and rat laboratories to Johnson Tower, and kept its primate labs in the building. At this point the building name was changed to the Primate Research Center. The primate research program ceased in 1984, and the bear program began in 1986 with two bears. In 1989 the building was given its current name. Appendix A contains the EHS floor plan. The Center uses rooms 8 – 51. Room 38 is a control room where records are stored and the computer that receives video feeds from the pen cameras is located. Rooms 38A and 38B house the refrigerator and freezer for food storage. Room 26 is a prep room where workers can dress and clean up before/after tending to the bear pens. The portable floor scale is located in the alcove just above room 10, and in non-hibernating times is moved to a walkway where bears can be weighed conveniently. The odd-numbered rooms 11 – 21 are bear dens with connected external pens (11A – 21A). The even-numbered rooms 8 – 22, plus rooms 29, 35/35A, 43, 45, 47, 48, and 51 are used for storage. Room 41 is the pharmacy and also contains a centrifuge. Room 42 is the surgery room. Room 44 is an all-purpose room, though it should be noted that it no longer contains the dividing walls indicated on the floor plan. Many of the personnel hallways have very low ceilings (~7 feet), and are probably narrower than current code allows.

The Bear Facility is an outside exercise area that has numerous enrichment devices including a climbing structure and various “bear” toys. Also present in the outside area are shade trees and other shaded areas. Further, during the warm months the bears have access to a large metal trough filled with water that they can play and cool themselves in. Committee Research The committee, absent Harrison, received a tour of EHS from Dr. Keith Blatner, interim Director of the Center, 24 February 2016. The committee also viewed five (5) culvert traps in storage at the Steffen Center complex. Dr. Blatner answered questions during the visit, and answered follow-up questions at a meeting of the committee held 3 March 2016. Heineke and Swain interviewed Dr. Steve Russell, OCV associate, 2 March 2016. Henieke and Loaiza interviewed Dr. Gaylynn Clyde, OCV associate, 2 March 2016. Loaiza and Harrison (telephone) interviewed Dr. Nina Woodford, interim Director of the OCV, 3 March

2016. Kasimanickam and Harrison (telephone) interviewed Dr. Lynne Nelson, Center associate, 3 March 2016. Parks, Parish, and Kasimanickam interviewed Dr. Darin Collins (telephone), Director of Animal Health at

the Woodland Park Zoo, 3 March 2016. Parish and Swain interviewed Dr. Charles Robbins, Center associate, 4 March 2016. Committee members reviewed all documents released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, as well as all SOP’s approved for the Center, the necropsy/histopathology reports for two adult bears euthanized January 2016, and a current animal disposal log. Heineke read the log books for all 12 of the bears in residence on 24 February 2016. The committee requested a copy of the current workplace safety standards available to Center associates, but one was not able to be located. We also reviewed the Bear Care and Colony Health Standard Operating Procedure publication, which is referenced in many papers published by Center associates. Findings—Adequacy of Facility THE COMMITTEE FINDS THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES BUILDING TO BE INADEQUATE FOR THE NEEDS OF THE CENTER. There are some aspects of the building that need attention. Some interviewees expressed concern about their ability to avoid harm should something go wrong while working with a bear, so these steps need to be taken immediately.

1. There does not appear to be an automatic lighting system that would activate if the power goes out. As none of the rooms in the Center’s area of the building have windows, this poses an evacuation hazard. A system should be installed.

2. Similarly, the committee did not observe a sprinkler system, though we did see a fire alarm bell. Sprinklers need to be installed.

3. Moving a bear from a pen to the surgery room requires navigation of two narrow 90-degree hallway turns, and a third such turn into the surgery room. Making these turns requires simultaneously lifting and turning the gurney, posing risk to the animal and the workers.

Correction of this problem requires a minor capital improvement to widen hallway 25, best achieved by relocating the pharmacy to room 43, removing rooms 12 and 41, and reducing the size of room 29.

More generally, it is difficult to optimize research potential given building constraints. A maximum of 13 bears can be housed, and only 10 can be hibernated on site. As there are multiple funded studies being conducted at once, the Center needs to be populated at or near capacity at all times. The Center occasionally acquires bears from other sites, and more often breeds their own. Acquired bears should be quarantined for at least 30 days, but the Center lacks a dedicated quarantine room, and must use a “soft quarantine” procedure under which the bear dens by itself, but still has some contact with other bears. When breeding, it can sometimes happen that more cubs are born than can be housed. As will be explained in a later section, the only solution to this problem is to euthanize some animals. Ultimately, a state of the art bear research facility should be constructed. The Center is engaged in fundraising for such, but given the prominence and popularity of the facility in the public perception of WSU, and the fact that it is located at what is planned to be the new main entrance to campus, construction of a building should be a university development priority. Along these lines, the university needs to give careful thought to the impact of the airport revision on the wellbeing of the bears. Despite the committee’s concerns, it is important to note that all animal research facilities at WSU have been accredited, and are subjected to continuing review, by AAALAC International, the governing body for the humane treatment of research animals. In fact, WSU’s accreditation was reaffirmed on the date of this report, 7 March 2016. The reader should thus not equate “inadequate” with a failure to meet minimal professional standards for care and treatment of bears. Findings—Adherence to Regulations and Policy THE COMMITTEE FINDS THE CENTER TO BE INCONSISTENT IN ITS ADHERENCE TO CURRENT REGULATIONS AND POLICY ON RECORDKEEPING. In recent years there has been an increase in the required documentation and reporting per federal guidelines. Center personnel submit required daily online reports inconsistently and incompletely. This is partly a function of the Center lacking a manager, but there is also clear evidence of resistance to the work by Center leadership. Reporting requirements, no matter how onerous, must be followed. The OCV has some responsibility here, as it does not appear that OCV personnel exercised their authority to demand the reporting be done. It is also troubling that certain documents cannot be located or are incomplete. This issue can be addressed in large part by hiring a full-time manager for the Center. This manager should report to the Dean of CAHNRS rather than the head of the Center, to give the manager the ability to demand reporting compliance from all Center associates. However, there must also be a culture change within the Center to insure that complete adherence is a necessity. THE COMMITTEE FINDS THE CENTER TO BE REASONABLY CONSISTENT WITH CURRENT BEST PRACTICES PERTAINING TO BEAR HIBERNATION.

Hibernation is essential for the research mission of the Center. Two prominent lines of inquiry are the dynamics of rapid weight loss, and processes of insulin resistance and tolerance during and after hibernation. The Center thus must hibernate their bears every year. Bears are hibernated entirely or mostly on site. When a second site has to be used, two or three bears will be placed into culvert traps and located in 199G. This is a common practice at research institutions. A culvert trap is typically made of metal, will be two to three times the length of the bear’s body, and will be tall enough for the bear to turn in a complete circle without hitting its head or back on the top of the trap. The committee did not take measurements of the Center’s traps, and we have some concern that at least some may be smaller than these standards. We did note that some traps appear to be bigger than others. Culvert traps are also expected to have video cameras to allow for continual monitoring, but the Center’s traps do not. This must be rectified before the traps are next used. Unknown to us is whether the Center’s employment of the traps is consistent with best practice. The traps should contain at least six inches of straw or wood chips for bedding. Bears who sleep directly on the metal run the risk of developing sores. If two young bears are placed in the same trap, they should be familiar to each other. In 2015, the Center placed two compatible yearling bears in a trap. The bears never entered into full hibernation, and had to be removed from the trap. Unfortunately, at the time of removal their health had deteriorated so severely that both bears had to be euthanized. The experience revealed that bears need to learn how to hibernate. Center associates acknowledge that they have revised their best management practice for culvert trap hibernation by only using bears who had previously hibernated in culvert traps. An alternate practice that the Center might consider is the use of dark rooms. These are successfully employed with other species, and WSU has faculty expertise in setting up and managing such rooms. While we recognize the facility limitations, at the same time the Center has unused storage space (e.g., rooms 20 and 22) that perhaps could be converted to a dark room with minor capital improvement funds. Regarding the on-site dens, the committee saw that all contained straw. At least two dens housed two bears, and we assume that compatibility of the denmates was established. THE COMMITTEE FINDS THE CENTER TO BE MOSTLY COMPLIANT WITH ITS APPROVED PROTOCOLS. Probably the biggest issue that can be raised with the Center’s standard operating procedures (SOP) is that the Center has permission to euthanize bears under certain circumstances. Euthanasia should be, and is, used on ill bears who have no hope of recovery. More controversially, it is also used for population management. As noted earlier, the Center has a firm limit of 13 bears in residence. The Center acquires bears in two ways: On-site birth, and reception of bears from other sites (e.g., zoos, wildlife refuges). The latter method is rarely employed, because the bears are almost always too old to be trained for research participation. Regardless, because a 14th bear will either be habituated to humans (the on-site births) or a management challenge, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife prohibits the Center from trying to place the bear in another facility. The only alternative is euthanasia.

The Center follows a strict protocol for euthanasia that has been reviewed and approved by WSU’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), which reports to the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare. The protocol is thus compliant with federal guidelines for euthanasia. Interviews with Center associates make clear that they do not take the decision to euthanize lightly. It is a hard choice that they would prefer not to make. However, the limitations of their facility require that they occasionally do so. Adherence to other protocols is sometimes absent. The committee has found instances of associates administering drugs that were not approved on the applicable SOP, or taking samples that were not indicated on the protocol. There is a need for IACUC to review all Center protocols, and IACUC should take this opportunity to remind Center associates of the need to not vary from approved procedures. This said, it is important to note that an associate who became aware of the sampling problem alerted the OCV, with no apparent response. Findings—Relations between the Center and OCV THE COMMITTEE FINDS THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CENTER AND OCV TO NEED IMPROVEMENT. Emails and interviews document over 20 years of difficult relations between the Center and OCV, a history that spans multiple leaders of the OCV. This must be rectified immediately and as follows:

1. Center leadership must acknowledge and accept that the OCV is the final authority on all issues related to bear health.

2. In turn, WSU must add someone to OCV staff with expertise in zoo animal health. It is unreasonable to expect someone with no training in this area to act as an authority on bears. The need is made more urgent by the soon-to-increase demands on the OCV with the advent of medical research in Spokane. A zoo animal expert will have knowledge that is of value beyond the bears. For example, this person can assist our avian researchers.

3. The Center and OCV need to come to a common understanding regarding the on-site caretaker’s responsibilities, and the OCV’s responsibilities. The caretaker is not a representative of the OCV and should not be expected to act as one. This conversation needs to be facilitated by a knowledgeable third party.

4. The Center must make sure that daily reports are being fully completed. All bears should be identified by an acceptable method so personnel can easily identify individuals. Daily each bear should be observed with the caretaker noting and reporting appetite for food and water, stool character, and any concerns regarding the health and wellbeing of the bear. These observations should be undertaken daily regardless of season or hibernation.

5. No procedures should be undertaken on a bear without the OCV’s awareness. No major procedures, especially surgical procedures, should be undertaken without a member of the OCV present or attending veterinarian.

6. The OCV needs to be more assertive in making sure it is properly involved in the Center. While we certainly do not advocate that it micromanage, at the same time the OCV has final authority over animal health, and it needs to exercise that authority more consistently than it has.

7. A mechanism needs to be created whereby Center personnel can submit a same-day, urgent-care request to the OCV.

8. The OCV should conduct twice-yearly visual assessments of every bear, before and after hibernation, which should at minimum include body condition, physical wellbeing, observation from all sides, walking and dietary review.

9. At least once a year routine laboratory analysis should be performed on each bear which should include CBC, serum chemistry, fecal analysis for parasites and serum banking.

Beyond these, we suggest that the Center establish an external advisory committee to work with them on their needs, problems, and fundraising. Failing this, we at least encourage retention of an external advisor, like Dr. Collins, who can help with some of these functions. Conclusion The Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center is an important contributor to WSU’s mission of research and engagement. Its associates have undertaken a number of research projects that can inform human health and wellbeing (perhaps most excitingly, the discovery that bears become insulin-resistant when they enter hibernation, and insulin-tolerant when they exit hibernation, a finding that has major implications for human diabetes). The research is multidisciplinary and its associates are productive, with 22 papers published since 2010. There is a desire to add polar bears, a species that is of great interest to the federal government. It is a key ambassador for the public, as it is one of the most popular stops for campus visitors. It functions as a national training center for zoo personnel who need to learn about bear management. We are confident that investment of the time and resources indicated in this report will rectify the problems that we have identified. The committee also wants to acknowledge the efforts of both Dr. Robbins, who has directed the Center continually since its inception, and Dr. Russell, under whose leadership WSU has passed AAALAC inspection with no citations, a rare occurrence, and who has developed a state-of-the-art health database for our researchers.

________________________________ ________________________________ Craig Parks, Chair Fred Loaiza ________________________________ ________________________________ Joe Harrison Steve Parish ________________________________ ________________________________ Merle Heineke John Swain ________________________________ Ram Kasimanickam

Appendix A Floor Plan of Environmental Health Services Building

From: Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2016 4:01 PM To: Erdman, Phyllis; Adams, Phyllis; Besser, Tom; Dernell, William; Greene, Stephen; Hallock, Molly;

Heineke, Merle J; Jacobson, Sue; Kluzik, Mike; Li, Hong; Mixter, Philip; Morgan, Michael Monte; Pru, James K; Stichter, Matt; Woodford, Nina; Russell, Steven Paul; Anderson, Gwen Marie; Ueti, Massaro; Kuykendall, Kerri

Cc: Keane, Chris; Watson, Sandy Subject: FW: Bear Research Center Attachments: ATT00001.txt Importance: High Good Evening, Please see the information release by IO, Chris Keane. Please call Mike Kluzik or IACUC Chair if you need more information. Mike Kluzik: 509-335-9553; Phyllis Edman 509-335- 9553, IACUC Chair. Thanks,

From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Keane, Chris Sent: Tuesday, March 8, 2016 3:57 PM To: '[email protected]' <[email protected]> Cc: Keane, Chris <[email protected]> Subject: [ORaffiliates] Bear Research Center Greetings,

We recently received media inquiries regarding the WSU Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center and would like to ensure that you have accurate information regarding the Center operations and the quality of care for our bears.

CAHNRS Acting Dean Kimberlee Kidwell and WSU executive leadership learned of possible concerns regarding the Bear Center last fall. Once alerted to the situation, I launched a preliminary review of the Bear Center. The review identified communications and protocol concerns that required a more extensive evaluation. Because we take the care of our bears very seriously, the Provost’s Office established an investigative team to thoroughly evaluate the Center and submit a subsequent report. That report was provided to me today.

All of our bears are healthy and currently are coming out of hibernation. WSU takes pride in successfully managing the bear program and has done so for decades within strict federal and state animal welfare regulations and in partnership with many oversight agencies. The Provost Office report has verified that our Center’s care for the bears operates within its accreditation guidelines, and its accreditation has been reaffirmed. The committee also has provided recommendations for operational improvements that will guide future management of the Center.

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Many of you know our bears. You also know that as research animals they are in service to the greater conservation effort to restore grizzly populations throughout the world. We know that these grizzly bears are important not just to WSU but to the community. Thank you for your support of Washington State University and for caring for these bears as much as we do. You can find the report and more information on the Bear Center program at http://cahnrs.wsu.edu/bearinfo/. If you have any questions or additional concerns, please feel free to email us at [email protected]. Sincerely, Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Monday, December 21, 2015 9:09 AM To: Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby ([email protected]) Subject: FW: BEAR SOP Attachments: Bear SOP 121615.docx From: Charles T. Robbins [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, December 17, 2015 9:11 AM To: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]>; Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby <[email protected]>; Nelson, Lynne <[email protected]>; Jansen, Heiko <[email protected]> Subject: FW: BEAR SOP All: Attached is a revision of our Bear SOP for which Nina and Gaylynn would like to meet with us to finalize. Please read everything in that what’s in that document will tie our hands in what we can and cannot do. Nina proposes times tomorrow and/or next Monday when she can meet. I am free during those times. Heiko, please reserve your conference room once Lynne responds and we’ve decided on a day/time. Thanks. Charlie From: Woodford, Nina [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, December 16, 2015 6:01 PM To: Robbins, Charles T Cc: Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby Subject: RE: BEAR SOP Hello Charlie, I have created a draft of the bear SOP (word doc attached) from what you sent me last week. I’d like to have a short meeting on Friday or early next week to discuss. I’m open Friday 9am to 2 pm and Monday morning and could come to your office if that is easier. I’d also like to discuss the January samplings. If those times don’t work, please let me know what would work better. Thanks Nina From: Charles T. Robbins [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, December 07, 2015 8:59 AM To: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]> Subject: BEAR SOP Nina: Please look at the attached. Heiko got back to me over the weekend with some wording on instrumenting the crates in 199G. While we suspect that infrared beam technology can be used, nothing is definite because I don’t know of any plans to hibernate bears in 199G for the next 3 yrs. If/When we get serious about hibernating bears in that location, we’ll work with you

to ensure that we have the best system that we can for monitoring the bears. However, for now, I don’t see any point in spending thousands of dollars and countless hours developing a fail-safe system when there could be a better system available before we ever again use the crates. Anyway, please get back to me with any changes that you want. Thanks. Charlie

Bear Numbers: - We generally keep 2 subadult or adult bears (i.e., large bears) per den and run combination. Therefore, with the current 6 dens and runs, we are largely restricted to a maximum subadult or adult population of 12 bears. The one exception is when we have young bears either being raised by their mother or by the bear staff. In those situations, we could have as many as 4 bears per den and run (i.e., a mother with triplets or 4 cubs together), in which case the upper limit for the population would be 16 bears (i.e. 2 mothers with triplets and 2 bears/pen in the remaining 4 pens). Grizzly bears are the only species housed in the current facility.

Daily Care during the Non-Hibernation Period: - Housing: Bears are moved between outside and inside pens to facilitate cleaning and care.

Guillotine doors between inside den and outside runs are controlled remotely from the personnel hallway. Animals are conditioned via food rewards to the sound of a bell to facilitate animal movement. Personnel never enter pens with an awake wild bear. Research personnel with appropriate training and experience will go in with bottle-raised bears.

- Cleaning of pens and miscellaneous equipment: Dens, small runs, and environmental

enrichment objects are cleaned daily with high pressure cold water. Den walls and floors are cleaned with soap and water approximately 3 times/yr.

- Feeding: When not on a feeding trial, bears are fed a commercial dog food as their base diet.

The amount fed each bear varies widely depending on time of year, age and weight, appetite, and short- and long-term research need for each bear. Feeding decisions are made daily by the Principal Investigator (Dr. Robbins). Occasionally, outdated commercial chows are fed because 1) chows are refrigerated to reduce the rate of vitamin breakdown and 2) the commercial chows are not the sole source of nutrients. Other foods include road-killed deer (source: local highway and fish and wildlife agencies), salmon and trout (source: local fish hatcheries), fresh or frozen apples (source: WSU orchard), and fresh white clover and grasses growing in the 2 acre exercise yard. Bagged commercial chow is stored on pallets in a walk-in refrigerator and other food items are stored frozen.

- Watering: Water is provided via automatic lixits in the inside pens. Lixits are checked when

cleaning is preformed to ensure they are working properly. - Daily Health Assessment: During the non-hibernation period, a daily health assessment will be

conducted on all bears. Health indicators include appetite, behavior, activity level, stool quality and a general visual assessment for injury/illness. All assessments will be documented. All health incidents (injury/illness/adverse reaction) will be reported to OCV by phone call or through the OCV health database.

- During winter hibernation, housing, daily assessment, cleaning and feeding are modified to

limit disturbance as described in the following section.

Winter Hibernation

- Beginning in late fall, food provided to the bears is gradually reduced to trigger the processes of hibernation. Eventually by late October or early November, all feeding is stopped. Stopping all feeding is necessary as feeding and hibernation are incompatible. If feed is provided, the bears will continue to eat and not hibernate. Similarly, for deep hibernation to be stimulated, the researchers can not constantly disturb the animals. Thus, with the exception of infrequently going into the bear areas to collect data, staff and researchers will stay out of the bear areas and not disturb the animals. Bears are never deprived of water. Inside pens are deep bedded with straw. Wooden panels may or may not be placed around the outside pens to help reduce visual disturbances to the bears. Depending on research being performed, bears may be sedated during hibernation for the collection of data and their condition evaluated at that time (described under veterinary care).

- Bears may occasionally be hibernated in secure off-site locations. Examples of this are in the Veterinary Colleges isolation facilities (#199G). When this occurs, the bears begin the hibernation process in the bear facility and are transferred after a few weeks to permit gastrointestinal emptying and the initiation of metabolic depression. These off-site bears are housed in standard culvert traps that measure roughly 4 ft across and 8 to 10 ft long. During 2014, false, porous floors were bolted into the culverts so the bears would have a more comfortable bed but still be removed from feces or urine. Bedding is not provided as there is no way to remove soiled bedding. Water is provided ad libitum via lixits installed in each crate. No feeding occurs. Only adult bears (i.e., > 4 yrs old with several winters of previous hibernation experience) will be placed in the crates for hibernation. Bears are either euthanized or returned to the bear facility prior to the end of hibernation. For the bears housed off-site in culvert traps, particularly in the 199G Veterinary Isolation Building, we plan to monitor their activity with videocameras and multiple beam infrared technology that can wirelessly transmit an alarm signal to our cell phone, office phone, or email address. The cameras are equipped with infrared capabilities to record in complete darkness. Camcorders are mounted on tripods in front of the bear crates (approx. 12" away from barred window) and the zoom level set to visualize the entire 4 x 8 ft field for recording movements. Infrared technology is newer, but is being used by our Canadian colleagues to monitor bear activity at traps in remote locations. The combination of these two technologies would have several benefits in helping us 1) identify bears that are not hibernating, 2) send us an alarm indicating that a bear needed help, and thereby 3) enable us to provide a more rapid response. Because we are by far more concerned by bears not hibernating than bears entering into deep hibernation, the computer monitoring system would be programmed to notify us when bear activity exceeded a certain threshold for a prolonged period of time. For the activity sensing we would require a computer interface and program written to send an alarm. As these systems are commercially available, it probably isn't a major technical hurdle to modify the alarm coding. Because we haven't done this previously, we will work closely with WSU's OCV to install such a system before any bears are again hibernated in 199G. Finally, we prefer the above approach as compared to implanting temperature, heart rate or other monitors that would require surgery or other more intrusive approaches. Similarly, although accelerometers on GPS collars are used in our field studies to monitor bear activity, the radio signal could not transmit through the walls of a culvert trap and metal building (i.e., 199G). since we don’t have a system yet, can we remove use of the culverts until you think you would need to use them?

- Animals and facilities are monitored regularly by research staff during hibernation. For bears in the home facility, the monitoring is done remotely using the video cameras that are in each den and run. Bears are visually checked daily via the video system to ensure their behavior is within normal limits (See below for further discussion).

- Parameters and Processes for Intervention during Hibernation: Hibernation is a process of energy conservation. Thus, our main concern when putting bears into hibernation is that they minimize activity and thereby efficiently use their energy stores. Consequently, we are far more concerned by excess activity than by prolonged inactivity, which would be welcomed. When we see a bear that is more active for a prolonged period of time than it should be or has been in the past, the bear faculty, staff, and attending veterinarian will discuss if we should intervene. That discussion will include time left to complete hibernation, body condition going into hibernation, possible causes for the increased activity, and whether we feel the bear will calm down. If the conclusion is that the bear will not be able to complete hibernation, the discussion will center on either euthanasia or initiating feeding. Because we don't have the facilities to feed one bear and not the rest that are hibernating in either 199G or the main pen facility (i.e., all will want to be fed), feeding can be initiated only if another housing arrangement can be identified. That may include releasing the bear into the exercise yard with food and water being provided daily through the fence.

Preventive Medicine and Colony Health Care: - Daily Assessment & Notification: Animals are assessed daily by direct visual contact or via

camera (hibernation). If an animal is noted as being ill or injured at any time, veterinary staff will be notified. All health incidents will be reported to OCV by phone call or through the OCV health database.

- Acquisition and Quarantine: New bears are acquired through state or federal wildlife agencies

or by breeding resident bears. When new bears are brought in from the outside (i.e., wild bears), they will receive a general physical exam when removed from the transport crate and will be treated for any identified health issues. New bears are isolated in runs separate from resident bears for a minimum of 4 weeks before being introduced. Diagnostic testing will vary depending on the specific situation with each new bear but at minimum, a complete physical exam and fecal examination for parasites and subsequent treatment with antihelminthics (ivermectin or other as prescribed by the veterinarian) will be conducted in quarantine.

- Health Monitoring and Routine Physical Examination: During the non-hibernation phase, daily

appetite, behavior and activity will be monitored and used as an indicator of general health. During routine sedations for research purposes, each bear will be checked for external parasites, body condition, injury, and other health related issues. Similarly, bears will be weighed at least quarterly (outside of hibernation) to provide another indicator of health. A complete physical examination including routine blood work and a dental exam will be performed on each resident bear at least annually as opportunities present.

- Parasite Control: A fecal examination for internal parasites will be conducted on all imported

bears and annually on resident bears. Pelt exams for external parasites will be conducted when

bears are sedated for other purposes. Pending results, bears will be treated for internal and external parasites on an as-needed basis. Ivermectin (1% sterile solution) will be given either orally or by i.m. injection at a dose rate of 1 ml/110 lbs body weight for round worms or other internal parasites, and at a dose rate of 3 mls/110 lbs body weight for mites and hair loss. Rubbing and hair loss on the posterior occurs in some bears each fall in response to irritation from mites. To minimize hair loss, ivermectin treatment begins as soon as hair loss is noted, which generally begins +/- August 1, and continues either as needed for adult animals that are less affected to biweekly in younger, more affected bears.

- Reproductive Management: Depending on research objectives and need for additional bears,

females may be given reproductive suppressants. This may include either Suprelorin and/or Megesterol acetate. According to the Contraception Center at the St Louis Zoo, GnRH agoanist are the safest, most effective contraception methods for bears (after ovari-hysterectomy and castration). http://www.stlzoo.org/animals/scienceresearch/contraceptioncenter/contraceptionrecommendatio/contraceptionmethods/ursidae/. Suprelorin® (deslorelin), a GnRH agonist, effects contraception by temporarily suppressing the reproductive endocrine system and preventing production of pituitary (FSH and LH) and gonadal hormones (estradiol and progesterone in females and testosterone in males). The observed effects are similar to those following ovariectomy or castration, but are reversed after the hormone content of the implant is depleted or the implant is removed. As an agonist, deslorelin may first stimulate the reproductive system, which can result in estrus and ovulation in females or temporary enhancement of testosterone and semen production in males. Then, down-regulation follows the initial period of stimulation. The estrus and ovulation that can occur within 2 weeks following implant insertion can be suppressed with oral supplemental progestin (Megestrol acetate -Ovaban®) treatment for 2 weeks (7 days prior to and 7 days after implant insertion). The implant comes pre-loaded in an insertion device (similar to an identification microchip). The recommended site of implant placement was originally between the shoulder blades. The ideal site will vary by species, but examples of those that have been successful have been SQ in the fleshy portion at the base of the ear, inner area of the leg (front or rear), and the umbilical area. An area with adequate vascularization should be chosen in order to ensure a sufficient dose is absorbed. Fatty, bony and cartilaginous areas should be avoided in favor of sites with more muscle. An instructional video illustrating implant placement SQ in the inner aspect of the rear leg can be viewed

Dose Suprelorin: 2-4.7mg implants for bears 300-375 lbs, 3-4.7mg implants for bears 375- 475 Lbs Dose Megesterol: 0.5-1.0 mg/kg daily for 2 weeks

For males, we've found that small daily doses of Megestrol acetate (24 mg/100 lbs) from mid-April through July are helpful in behavioral management during the breeding season when females are on reproductive suppresants and we have no need for breeding males. This treatment suppress the aggression such that the two breeding males can be housed together. Once breeding season is over, the males no longer need or receive Megestrol acetate.

- Immobilization of Bears: Animals are sedated regularly, depending on research needs, by research staff. Prior to sedation, maropitant citrate (cerenia® 0.6-2.0 mg/kg) may be given either the night before or up to 2 hrs prior to anesthesia to minimize vomiting. Agents used for sedating include Telazol (T), Ketamine (K), Dexmedetomidine, and Xylazine (X), either separately or in combination. Usual dosages for the TKX mixture are 2.0 mg/kg (Telazol), 0.9 mg/kg (Ketamine), and 0.9 mg/kg (Xyzaline). Usual dosages for the T/DexM mixture during the active season are 2.5 mg T/kg and 6.25 ug DexM/kg. During hibernation, we use 1 mg T/kg and 2.5 ug DexM/kg. If a Ketamine/Xyzaline combination is used for sedation, the dose is 5 mg/kg Ketamine and 1 mg/kg Xylazine. If Telazol is used alone during the active season, the dose is 5 to 7 mg/kg, but only 1.5 to 2 mg/kg during hibernation. If mixtures of Telazol/Dexmedetomidine are used, the mixture can be reversed with atipamezole at 10 times the amount of DexM given, or 62.5 ug/kg during the active season and 25 ug/kg during hibernation. Exact dosages depend on the condition of the animal and the procedures to be performed. Finally, famotidine (0.6 mg/kg) may be given intravenously just prior to reversing the anesthesia to suppress gastric reflux.

Veterinary Care:

- Veterinary care is provided by either the resident bear research veterinarian (Dr. Lynne Nelson), the OCV veterinary staff, or the Veterinary Teaching Hospital depending on the situation at the time. Bears are evaluated by the Principal Investigator and appropriate veterinary staff. Minor problems are treated at the facility by the research or veterinary staff. If an animal requires more intense veterinary treatment and/or diagnostic testing, animals are sedated, crated, and transported to the VTH via a pick-up truck. Animal and level of sedation are monitored by research and veterinary staff during transit and veterinary procedures at VTH. Once veterinary care has been provided, the animal is transported back to the Bear Facility for recovery. Any further treatments or monitoring are performed by the research or veterinary staff.

- Minor wound care: Bears occasionally sustain minor injuries during social interactions. Minor

wounds which can heal without additional sedations & treatment will be monitored daily for signs of infection and to ensure healing. If minor wounds worsen, become infected or do not show signs of resolution in a timely fashion, veterinary consultation will occur.

- Transient gastrointestinal symptoms include occasional vomiting and mild to moderate diarrhea of less than 3 day duration. Animals may experience transient symptoms due to a sedation procedure or with diet alterations. Animals will be monitored for activity level & hydration status. If the symptoms worsen or do not resolve within 3 days, veterinary consultation will occur.

Escaped Bear Although no bear has escaped in the past 30 years, the following are guidelines for handling both people and bears should a resident bear escape:

Campus security or city police are to immediately notify Dr. Robbins or his designate in his absence and the campus veterinarian about an escape issue.

Should the bear move into a populated area or attract viewers, security/police are to move all people away from the bear and not try to interfere with the bear in anyway.

When Dr. Robbins or his designate arrive on site, they will attempt to drug the bear and move it back to the WSU bear facility. The time between notification of an escape and the arrival of Dr. Robbins on site could be in excess of 30 minutes because of the need to gather drugging/darting equipment. Large, anesthetized bears could require up to 8 people to lift into a vehicle, so adequate personnel need to be available.

Lethal force is to be considered the very last alternative and only used if people are in clear danger.

Animal Care Staff Animal care is provided by the principal investigator, research staff, and students. All staff are trained by the principal investigator prior to working in the facility. Staff are provided with coveralls and boots to wear when performing duties. All individuals working in the facility are informed of the WSU Animal Contact Program and encouraged to register in the program.

Transport of Bears outside of the Bear Facility All subadult or adult bears, whether drugged or not, trained or wild, that are being transported to facilities outside of the core bear pens and adjacent rooms will be confined to transport crates. This includes movement of bears to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, 199G, or more distant locations. Young cubs that are being bottle-raised and are unable to even walk are transported in high-walled plastic tubs. As the cubs develop more coordination, they are confined to appropriate-sized airline carrying crates during transport.

Environmental Enrichment/Behavioral/Social Management - Bears are either housed with a compatible cage mate or individually. Individually housed

bears can see, smell, and interact with other bears through cage bars. When not in hibernation, bears are rotated out of the small runs into the 2-acre exercise yard as frequently as possible, preferably on a daily basis. Bears are exercised in compatible groups, i.e., young bears with other young bears, older bears with older bears. Bears can forage on the natural vegetation in the yard and always have access to water and air conditioning in their home den. A large water tank, sprinklers, and shade trees are provided for additional cooling during the summer.

- In an effort to give the bears as much time as possible in the large exercise yard, we attempt to

form groups of bears that can be released safely together. This is based on behavioral assessment of the Bear Center staff based on long-term viewing of the interaction of the bears when confined next to each other. This is always a difficult judgment in that we want to get the bears out of their dens and runs as much as possible. In general, cubs and subadults are never released with bears other than their mother or similar aged bears. When dealing with adults, new bears are not released with resident bears for many months and until the staff feel that there is a good chance that the individuals will not harm each other. However, there is always a risk when dealing with large, dangerous animals. Consequently, we have at least 4 staff at

the facility when a new release occurs to man doors and hoses such that bears might be separated if a fight occurs. Unfortunately, there can not be any drugging of bears at these times because that would only ensure that the drugged bear would be unable to defend itself once the drugs began taking affect.

General herd management: Herd management in terms of population size and age and sex classes housed at the Center is a continuous, ongoing process. Because of limited facilities, all bears housed at the Center must have a short- and long-term research purpose. We are not a zoo that can afford to house bears for their entire life without a research purpose. Because of research needs, we generally like to have a mix of young bears and older adults. For many years, we've had a mixture of wild bears that have to be anesthetized for any hands-on research, and bottle-raised bears that can be manipulated and sampled without anesthesia for non-invasive purposes. More recently, we've decided to bottle-raise 4 bears that bridge the gap between these distinctions---i.e., bottle-raised, trained bears that can be used for both non-invasive and invasive research. These bears are trained to enter a crate and present a leg for blood sampling or injections. If invasive research is to be performed, they will receive an injection of anesthetic drugs prior to the treatment identified in the research protocol. Euthanasia and disposition: All bears older than 4 mo. are first anesthetized with the T/DexM mixture (see above) via injecting or darting and then euthanized with an iv overdose of pentobarbital (i.e., Beuthanasia-D solution, 390mg/mL concentration). We use the large animal dose of 10 mL/100lb body weight. For all cubs less than 4 mo. old (i.e., very small cubs), they will be anesthetized with isoflurane prior to the Beuthanasia injection. ( Intracardiac or IV?? ). Death will be confirmed by auscultation for lack of a heart beat and the onset of rigor mortis. Tissue samples may be taken either prior to or just after euthanasia per approval in other animal use protocols or as directed by the veterinary staff for diagnostic reasons. Subsequently, all parts, including bones, hide, claws, etc. that are not used for diagnostic, scientific or educational purposes or requested and approved to be given to 3rd parties by the USFWS for other purposes, will be sent to the WSU incinerator.

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2016 7:04 PM To: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae Subject: FW: cost/construction estimate fyi Nina

From: Sturko, Michael Matthew Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2016 3:31 PM To: Robbins, Charles T; Woodford, Nina; Erdman, Phyllis Cc: Naylor, Colleen Marie; Slocum, Eric Lane Subject: RE: cost/construction estimate

Thanks, see you on Friday Mike Sturko, Project Development Officer Facilities Services-Project Mngmt Group Washington State University [email protected] 509-335-9006 or 509-432-1105 http://facilitiesservices.wsu.edu/ From: Charles T. Robbins [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2016 3:17 PM To: Sturko, Michael Matthew; Woodford, Nina; Erdman, Phyllis Cc: Naylor, Colleen Marie; Slocum, Eric Lane Subject: RE: cost/construction estimate Mike: I can make a 1pm, Friday meeting work. Let’s meet just inside the double glass doors on EHS side of the building that adjoins the parking lot on the campus side of the building. I don’t want to go back into the bear area, so we’ll walk around on the outside to the back of the building where that concrete platform exists. Sure, I would expect to submit a myFacility request if I decide to move forward. Thanks. Charlie From: Sturko, Michael Matthew [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2016 3:06 PM To: Robbins, Charles T Cc: Naylor, Colleen Marie; Slocum, Eric Lane Subject: RE: cost/construction estimate Charles, Eric Slocum or I can meet you on Friday, let us say about 1PM, at the Bear Facility to take a look at the fence modification. If you decide to move forward, after our discussion, you will need to submit a myFacilities request. Please confirm if you are available. Eric, please confirm: are you available to meet with Charles Friday, Feb 12, 1PM, at the Bear Facility?

Mike Sturko Facilities Services-Project Mngmt Group Washington State University [email protected] 509-335-9006 or 509-432-1105 http://facilitiesservices.wsu.edu/ From: Naylor, Colleen Marie Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2016 2:59 PM To: Plummer, Jessica A; Sturko, Michael Matthew Subject: RE: cost/construction estimate Thanks. Mike do you want to ask him to submit a myFacilities request? CColleen Naylor WSU Facilities Services Accounting Program Specialist 2 PO Box 641150 Pullman, WA 99164-1150 McCluskey (509)335-9321 Commons (509)335-9319

From: Plummer, Jessica A Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2016 2:56 PM To: Naylor, Colleen Marie; Sturko, Michael Matthew Subject: FW: cost/construction estimate Colleen, I received this email, I think this is an estimate for Mike. Thanks, Jessica From: Charles T. Robbins [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2016 2:13 PM To: Plummer, Jessica A <[email protected]>; Woodford, Nina <[email protected]> Subject: cost/construction estimate Jessica: I have a small construction job that needs to be done at the WSU bear facility. I have a treadmill that I need to install in April upon which we will be running our grizzly bears. The WSU IACUC has asked me to surround the treadmill with a chain link fence so a bear could not escape

if it got out of the treadmill. We already have an outside concrete platform where we will install the treadmill. It has a fence on one side and the brick building is on the other side, so the space largely needs a chain link covering that will be attached to the building. Anyway, could I schedule to meet someone at the bear pens to discuss this issue. I’m available this coming Friday (day after tomorrow) if someone can meet me. Thanks. Charlie Robbins

From: Keane, Christopher Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 1:33 PM To: Woodford, Nina Subject: FW: Current briefing document Attachments: DRAFT Briefing v8 ST SW.DOCX Importance: High FYI Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research Professor of Physics Washington State University French Administration 422 P.O. Box 646525, Pullman, WA 99164-6525 509-335-3574 (W) 509-335-5515 (fax) From: Coursey, Marta Sent: Monday, February 29, 2016 10:43 AM To: Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Austin, Erica <[email protected]>; Kerr, Colleen <[email protected]>; Gardner, John C <[email protected]>; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae <[email protected]> Cc: Strenge, Robert L <[email protected]>; Peterson, Kristina A <[email protected]> Subject: Current briefing document Importance: High Draft key messages included: KK received approval on third message from Mittelhammer in one/one conversation.

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(DRAFT INTERNAL) BEAR CENTER BRIEFING DOCUMENT

(INTERNAL DRAFT)

Modifications made to original KB University Communications document , February 2.298, 20.16

Formatted: Centered

Formatted: Font: 22 pt, Bold




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To: Background and Events to Date The Washington State University Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center (“Bear Center”) was established in 1986. WSU maintains the only university-based grizzly bear research center in the United States. Research at the Bear Center covers a wide range of conservation studies, including nutrition, physiology, ecology, behavior, reproduction, learning and memory. Bear research helps address human health concerns, such as diabetes, heart disease, and muscle atrophy. Timeline August 2015: Following a public records request outlining questions and concerns about Bear Center operations, WSU Vice President for Research Christopher Keane calls for a preliminary review of the center. October 21, 2015: The preliminary review team begins work on Bear Center. November 25, 2015: The director of the Bear Center and the director of the Office of the Campus Veterinarian both have their administrative duties reassigned, pending outcome of the formal investigation.

o Dr. Keith Blatner, professor in the School of the Environment, is appointed to oversee Bear Center operations.

o Dr. Nina Woodford, of the Office of the Campus Veterinarian, assumes the duties of the director of the Office of the Campus Veterinarian.

January 19, 2016: Preliminary review team completes work, calls for a formal investigation. Concerns raised in the review include:

o Strained relations and communication issues between the director of the Bear Center and the Office of the Campus Veterinarian.

o Non-compliance with approved protocols and/or procedures resulting in deteriorating health of some bears as well as emergency euthanasia for others.

February 5, 2016: Formal investigation initiates, focusing on review concerns. Winter 2016: CAHNRS Dean Kim Kidwell is leading Bear Center team regularly to establish and monitor care protocols. March 15, 2016: Formal investigation deadline for completion.

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Draft Key Messages for CAHNRS Acting Dean Kim Kidwell 1. KEY MESSAGE: We study the bears to save bears.

Secondary talking points: o Grizzlies have been an endangered species in Washington since 1980. o 30 inhabit Washington proper, 100 in the Selkirk Mountains o Yellowstone has from 600 to more than 800 grizzly bears o The Bear Center shares new information for bear conservation around the world.

The hundreds of publications and presentations authored by Bear Center staff have improved understanding of bear nutrition, physiology, behavior, and other important topics.

o Our researchers have made new discoveries on bear diets, health, and their role in the ecosystem, which hold the potential to help wild grizzlies survive.

o Bear Center scientists are continuing to explore how bears adapt and evolve in a changing world.

2. Wellbeing of research animals is the top priority of the WSU animal care program.

Secondary talking points: o Research animals provide critical scientific information to ensure a safe and secure

food supply for the world. o WSU has operated a large animal research program (more than 20,000 animals)

for decades. o Animals used in research and teaching at WSU include fish, rats, mice, bats, rabbits,

chickens, pigs, sheep, goats, horses, deer, cows, reptiles and amphibians. o All research activities on bears are reviewed and approved by an independent

university committee, ensuring they receive ethical and humane treatment. 2.3. We need a larger, more comprehensive, state-of-the-art bear facility.

Secondary talking points: o A new International Bear Center has been proposed to replace the current center,

increasing capacity for bears, staff and research. o Fundraising efforts have been underway for a larger center since 2005 (Seattle Times

article) o An upgraded facility is critical to our ability to take care of more grizzlies and to

expand our research to other bear species. o The new center will include 18 housing units with dens and 20 acres of natural

environments. o The estimated need is $20 million. o 15 bears have passed away over a 6-year period.

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Agencies and Partners The WSU Bear Center works with university and agency partners and voluntary accreditation organizations to ensure bear health and wellbeing. The university’s animal research program has been regularly reviewed and inspected by federal and other agencies and has maintained continuous accreditation since 1979. Involved units include:

o Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC): Conducts routine site visits for re-accreditation consideration.

o USDA: Inspectors conduct periodic unannounced site visits to the Bear Center. The most recent visit, in August 2015, had several minor findings corrected at the time of inspection with no findings relevant to the Bear Center.

o WSU Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC): Reviews and approves all research activities involving bears.

o Bear Center staff: Oversees bear research and day-to-day operations, including feeding and other routine bear care.

o The Office of the Campus Veterinarian (OCV): Oversees bear veterinary care. Contact Point • Any questions about management of the Bear Center should be directed to Marta Coursey, Director, CAHNRS Communication, [email protected], 509-335-2806.

From: Sent: Monday, February 01, 2016 3:46 PM To: Pru, James K; Woodford, Nina Subject: FW: DMR review of SOP (#4773) Attachments: IACUC_bear stock protocol 1_25_2016.pdf Importance: High Nina, Jim, I am getting ready to approve this SOP. At this time, I am reflecting on the Full Committee Discussion in the IACUC meeting regarding use of animals in multiple protocols. Please let me know if you like to reexamine this protocol from that perspective. Thanks,

From: Pru, James K Sent: Monday, January 25, 2016 9:26 AM To: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]> Cc: IACUC <[email protected]>; > Subject: FW: DMR review of SOP (#4773) I vote to approve this SOP. Jim From: Charles T. Robbins [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, January 25, 2016 8:32 AM To: ; Woodford, Nina; [email protected] Cc: Pru, James K Subject: RE: DMR review of SOP (#4773)

Attached is the revised bear stock protocol with all of the suggested changes. Thanks. Charlie From: Pru, James K [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, January 25, 2016 6:45 AM To: Robbins, Charles T Cc: IACUC; Subject: RE: DMR review of SOP (#4773) Charlie, This looks good. The DMR is also asking for inclusion of the following:

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"Veterinary consultation and provisions for adequate temperature control will be included for any bear transport longer than 15 minutes." Thanks, Jim From: Charles T. Robbins [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2016 2:59 PM To: Pru, James K Subject: RE: DMR review of SOP (#4773) Jim: How does this sound: All subadult or adult bears, whether drugged or not, trained or wild, that are being transported to facilities outside of the core bear pens and adjacent rooms will be confined to transport crates. This includes movement of bears to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, 199G, or more distant locations. Whether the bear is sedated or not depends on 1) whether the bear will enter the transport crate without being sedated, 2) the distance the bear is being transported, and 3) the ultimate purpose of that transport event. For example, if a wild bear is being transported to the WSU veterinary college for some hands-on medical procedure, the bear will always be sedated for loading into the crate, during transport, and for the procedure. However, if a bear is being transported to another facility, such as a distant zoo, that will require extended travel, the bear may or may not be sedated depending on whether it will voluntarily load into the crate as it will fully recover during transport. There are probably very few times when an adult or subadult bear would not be sedated for loading, but such bears will recover from that sedation within 1 hr and thus will not be sedated for an entire trip if the trip exceeds 1 hr. During transport, the crates will be housed in either open trucks or on flatbed trailers. If the transport is long distance, the bear will be provided with food and water and closely monitored relative to environmental temperatures, particularly excessive heat. If heat is a concern, transport may be restricted to night-time or shade and adequate airflow will be provided. Young cubs that are being bottle-raised and are unable to even walk are transported in high-walled plastic tubs. As the cubs develop more coordination, they are confined to appropriate-sized airline carrying crates during transport. Thanks. Charlie From: Pru, James K [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2016 11:22 AM

To: Robbins, Charles T Cc: IACUC; Subject: DMR review of SOP (#4773) Dear Dr. Robbins, IACUC’s DMR has reviewed your revised SOP for “Bear care, colony health and herd management.” There are a few minor questions related to transport of bears, but the rest looks okay.

1. Under “Transport of Bears Outside of the Bear Facility,” please explain under what circumstances sub-adult or adult bears would not be sedated for transport. Are sub-adult and adult bears always sedated? Under what circumstances would they not be sedated? In the statement, “This includes movement of bears to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, 199C, or more distant locations” please clarify what is meant by “more distant locations.” Where and how far? What sort of transport system will be used here. Are bears loaded into crates in the back of an open truck or is a closed transport system in place?

Kind regards, Jim James K. Pru, PhD Associate Professor Department of Animal Sciences Center for Reproductive Biology VBR171, 1815 Ferdinand's Lane Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164 phone: 509-335-8913 email: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Shipping address: 100 Dairy Road VBR Building, Room 205 Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-7620

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From: Keane, Christopher Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2016 1:07 PM To: Kluzik, Mike; Woodford, Nina Subject: FW: Memorandum - Inquiries Regarding the Bear Center Attachments: Memorandum - Inquiries Regarding the Bear Center.pdf FYI Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research Professor of Physics Washington State University French Administration 422 P.O. Box 646525, Pullman, WA 99164-6525 509-335-3574 (W) 509-335-5515 (fax) From: Peterson, Kristina A Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2016 10:05 AM To: Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae <[email protected]>; Slinker, Bryan <[email protected]>; Dewald, Daryll B <[email protected]> Cc: Austin, Erica Weintraub <[email protected]>; Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]>; Parks, Craig David <[email protected]> Subject: Memorandum - Inquiries Regarding the Bear Center Dear Drs. Keane, Kidwell, Slinker, and DeWald, Please find attached a memorandum from Provost Erica Weintraub Austin. Sincerely, Kristina Kristina Peterson-Wilson | Executive Assistant Office of the Provost & Executive Vice President | Washington State University French Administration Building 436 | PO Box 641046 | Pullman WA 99164-1046 (509) 335-8915 | [email protected]

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Monday, December 07, 2015 9:00 AM To: Kluzik, Mike Subject: FW: Notes from our meeting I added notes in purple From: Kluzik, Mike Sent: Monday, December 07, 2015 8:12 AM To: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]> Subject: RE: Notes from our meeting Good Morning Nina, Before sending to Chris, would you please add your comments and revise mine where you see fit? Please feel free to call if you would like to discuss. Thanks! Mike From: Keane, Christopher Sent: Wednesday, December 02, 2015 1:26 PM To: Kluzik, Mike <[email protected]>; Woodford, Nina <[email protected]> Subject: Notes from our meeting Hi Mike and Nina: Actions from our Monday evening meeting are below. Pls. edit/comment as needed. Best Chris

1. Attending vet- Nina to be designated (Mike/Nina pls. figure out formalities and notifications associated with this, including I believe a letter signed by me?) In-progress.

2. Call 4 agencies/organizations and give informal notification (USAD, OLAW, PHS, AAALAC) (Mike) Nina, Steve and/or I

informally contacted AAALAC, the regional USDA office who recommended our local USDA inspector, which we did, and OLAW. OLAW said they would alert NIH (which we assume includes PHS), if they are contacted. Formal written notification of Attending vet position change only to be sent to USDA this week.

3. Nina to take ex-officio position on IACUC- Nina also to name new alternate. (Gaylynn Clyde is out of town until Wednesday and needs to be queried. Should we process her letter?) Mike to prepare necessary letters and notify Phyllis (Mike)

4. Make list of Steve duties and whether they shift to Nina or not, and discuss with Adam Malcom (attorney) (Nina) These include: - IACUC ex-officio (to shift) Addressed - Attending vet duties (to shift) see item # 1 above - IBC ex-officio (to shift) Addressed

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- University Health and Safety Committee- Nina decision (AV is not listed by name on web-site, thus no action necessary) - Emergency Mgmt Committee- Nina decision to go to Steve - Minor capital fund management- Nina decision to go to Steve - Centralization- Nina to oversee, can delegate technical work to Steve if desired-working with Steve - Contact for AAALAC- Change to Nina AAALAC notified (see item # 2 above)

5. Need to change IBC ex officio to Nina (Mike to issue letter) Addressed 6. Mary Frei to transfer signature authority (Nina talked with Mary and filled out necessary papers) 7. Send email to Bear Center regarding additional information needed (Chris- done) 8. Mike to give copy of talking points to Nina for comment/input (Mike) Addressed, met with Kathy Thursday) 9. Determine need for agency written notifications (Mike) Processed memo for USDA(also see #2). 10. Office of Records and Forms asked to work with Adam Malcolm to notify non-WSU individuals (UI PIs) listed on submitted records.

Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research Professor of Physics Washington State University French Administration 422 P.O. Box 646525, Pullman, WA 99164-6525 509-335-3574 (W) 509-335-5515 (fax)

From: Blatner, Keith Allan Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2016 4:32 PM To: Woodford, Nina Cc: Blatner, Keith Allan; Robbins, Charles T; Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae;

Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike; Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance

Subject: FW: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Attachments: Bear Memo 011516.docx Nina, I greatly appreciate receiving your recent email outlining the practices and procedures at the Bear Center. I fully respect your role and responsibility as campus veterinarian in the over sight of the bear facility. You have a substantial ethical and legal responsibility to ensure that the bears are properly cared for and everyone one respects and values that role. However, in my current temporarily role as Acting Director of the Bear Center, I do have some questions about two of the requirements stated in the memo. The first of these: “Effective daily monitoring of animal health and well-being including animals in hibernation”. I have no issue with the need for daily monitoring per se, but the mechanism for implementing daily monitoring during hibernation is not spelled out. For example if video monitoring during this period is acceptable, then I have no issue to raise regarding the requirement. Conversely, if this were to involve physical observation of the bears on a daily basis, I would have substantial concerns, since such activity could endanger the health of the bears due to disturbing the hibernation process. Based on my conversions with Charlie, I believe you are willing to accept video observation of the animals. However, the next CV might not view it in the same manner. Similarly, a lawyer with no background in animal care or hibernating bears might come to very different conclusion as to what is required. Hence, I feel this requirement needs further clarification please. My second potential concern relates to the following: “The Office of the Campus Veterinarian will have unrestricted access to all animal facilities associated with the Bear Center to assess animal health, care and record-keeping. OCV will conduct frequent rounds of the facilities to verify the quality of care.” Again I have no issue with the need for monitoring by your office. However, we have had issues in the past where the CV has actually entered the pens with wild bears when the bears were not in hibernation and were not sedated. This is a very dangerous and unacceptable activity, which put the university at considerable risk to say nothing of the CV. If the issue is access to area behind the pens and related, then I have no real concerns. If it includes direct access to the bears, then I submit that considerably more detailed procedures are required. As a result of these potential concerns and possibly others, I would like to please request a meeting of Charlie, Lynne, Heiko, and myself with you and any other members of your team as you see fit to review the practices and procedures outlined in the memo. I hope that all parties will view this meeting positively as a collaborative effort to further clarify the needed procedures as a mechanism to avoid future problems. I greatly appreciate your expertise and knowledge in this area, and I am confident that this meeting will serve as the foundation for a long-term collaborative relationship between the CV and the bear center. After all, we are clearly in agreement that we want the bears to receive the best care possible, while allowing us to safely pursue the research mission of the university. Thank you for considering my request. Keith

Keith A. Blatner Professor and Program Leader for Forestry and

Interim Director Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center School of the Environment Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-2812 Tel: 509-335-4499 Fax: 509-335-7862 Email: [email protected] From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, January 15, 2016 8:48 AM To: Blatner, Keith Allan; Robbins, Charles T; Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko Cc: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike; Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance Subject: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Good morning Drs. Blatner, Robbins, Nelson and Jansen, Please see the attachment concerning procedures and record-keeping practices at the Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center. The procedures scheduled for next week are approved. Please contact me if you have any questions Nina Woodford Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]





















From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, January 15, 2016 11:26 AM To: Kerr, Colleen Elizabeth; Goos, Ann W; Strenge, Robert L; Gardner, John C Cc: Frei, Mary Joy; Watson, Sandy; Brown-Haas, Lisa; Foth, Alicia M; Keane, Christopher Subject: FW: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Attachments: Bear Memo 011516.docx Good morning, The following email and attachment were sent out this morning Please let me know if you have any questions Nina From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, January 15, 2016 8:48 AM To: Blatner, Keith Allan <[email protected]>; Robbins, Charles T <[email protected]>; Nelson, Lynne <[email protected]>; Jansen, Heiko <[email protected]> Cc: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae <[email protected]>; Dewald, Daryll B <[email protected]>; Slinker, Bryan <[email protected]>; Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Kluzik, Mike <[email protected]>; Erdman, Phyllis <[email protected]>; Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]> Subject: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Good morning Drs. Blatner, Robbins, Nelson and Jansen, Please see the attachment concerning procedures and record-keeping practices at the Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center. The procedures scheduled for next week are approved. Please contact me if you have any questions Nina Woodford Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]





















From: Coursey, Marta Sent: Monday, March 07, 2016 3:42 PM To: Blatner, Keith Allan; Woodford, Nina; Strenge, Robert L Subject: FW: Statement from Charlie Powell Attachments: Charlie Powell Euthanasia of Grizzly Bears on Experimental Protocols.docx From: Harris, Therese R Sent: Monday, March 07, 2016 3:31 PM To: Coursey, Marta <[email protected]> Subject: FW: Statement from Charlie Powell Best regards, Therese Therese Harris Writing & Editing Manager CAHNRS Communications Washington State University (509) 335-2960

From: Coursey, Marta Sent: Thursday, March 03, 2016 10:27 AM To: Truscott, Seth Thomas <[email protected]>; Harris, Therese R <[email protected]>; Weybright, Scott Allen <[email protected]> Subject: Statement from Charlie Powell

Humane Euthanasia of Grizzly Bears on Experimental Protocols at

Washington State University’s Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center

August 17, 2009 to August 17, 2015

The following is a statement based upon information provided in personal interviews with Drs. Charles T. Robbins and Nina Woodford, March 2, 2016.

Where do the bears come from?

The Washington State University Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center (WSU-BREC) obtains bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) in two ways; as wild, problem bears captured and provided to the university by wildlife agencies in lieu of their destruction or as captive born offspring of the current population.

How many bears can the university keep?

The WSU-BREC has the capacity to house up to 12 adult grizzly bears. Currently, there are 11 bears in residence on approved experimental protocols. We have long planned for a new Bear Center with a housing capacity of 25 bears.

Does the WSU-BREC employ humane euthanasia within its experimental protocols?

Yes. Humane euthanasia is a tool commonly used in biomedical research using animals. In the case of the WSU experimental group of grizzly bears, euthanasia is used for two reasons; 1) to manage group size, and 2) to control age and sex ratios as explained below.

How are bears humanely euthanized?

Optimal humane euthanasia protocols involve first sedating the animal into unconsciousness using an intramuscular (IM) dart when referring to adults or by intravenous (IV) or (IM) injection when employed with cubs. After the sedative has taken effect and the animal is unconscious and insensate (unable to feel anything), the animal is given an IV overdose of an anesthetic drug or drug compound usually containing sodium pentobarbital.

Euthanasia protocols are developed in accordance with established recommendations provided by the American Veterinary Medical Association in the latest edition of its AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia and as approved by the WSU Office of the Campus Veterinarian (WSU-OCV) and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

Who humanely euthanizes the bears?

Experimental animal protocols often permit researchers to humanely euthanize experimental animals when necessary or timely. Also, humane euthanasia can be provided as a service to researchers by personnel from the WSU-OCV. One does not have to be a veterinarian to perform humane euthanasia so long as the procedure is approved by the IACUC and the person

has received appropriate documented training. In all cases, humane euthanasia was performed by Dr. Charles T. Robbins, Dr. O. Lynne Nelson, Dr. Nina Woodford, Dr. Gay Lynn Clyde, or Dr. Heiko Jansen.

Why are bears humanely euthanized at WSU?

At WSU grizzly bears are humanely euthanized for several reasons. Two reasons are most prominent. The first is to manage group size since the WSU-BREC only has space for a maximum of 12 adult bears. The second reason is to manage the age and sex ratio of the bears.

Male grizzly bears can weigh up to 80 percent more than females. This more than doubles the expense of feeding them and their size makes them significantly more challenging to house and manage. Male bears are often more aggressive and present a greater safety risk to other WSU bears as well as WSU-BREC personnel.

Grizzly bears are polygamous. Accordingly, the university typically keeps only two male bears at the WSU-BREC at any time.

If no new males are needed to replace the current adults, then males that are accepted from the wild or born at WSU-BREC are humanely euthanized when no longer needed in the research program. In this way, the number of WSU-BREC residents as well as the sex ratio is managed effectively.

An additional reason humane euthanasia is employed is for medical reasons. Bears that fall seriously ill, become injured, or suffer infirmities of aging are humanely euthanized. The WSU-BREC has also euthanized bears in hibernation as a part of approved and planned studies.

Why would the WSU-BREC humanely euthanize bears when the species is endangered? Can’t they be released into the wild?

In Washington, grizzly bears have been listed as an Endangered Species since 1980. Federally, they have been listed as Threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) since 1975. In the wild, the young typically stay with the female for two to three years before weaning.

Keeping cubs with their mother in captivity until weaning is very difficult, time-consuming to manage, and costly if they are not going to remain in captivity as they must remain separate from all other bears. In the U.S., no captive-born grizzly bear has ever been released into the wild by federal or state natural resource agencies. Reasons for this include, the captives would not have the experience necessary to find appropriate foods and compete with resident wild bears. In all likelihood any such transplants would soon suffer hunger, malnutrition, or become food for another predator, perhaps even their own kind. Similarly, the liability associated with introducing a captive-born bear that had become habituated to people would far exceed what any university or state could accept.

In the best judgement of the WSU-BREC and federal personnel responsible for recovering grizzly bear populations, humane euthanasia remains the best option for captive-born bears once they are no longer needed. When bears are needed for starting new wild populations or

augmenting existing populations, experienced wild bears are trapped in one ecosystem and moved to the new ecosystem.

What happens to the bear carcasses when they are euthanized?

Bear carcasses remaining after humane euthanasia at WSU are usually the source of multiple tissues and fluids taken for study by various scientific groups at WSU and elsewhere. Any remains are then immediately delivered to the WSU Incinerator facility where they were incinerated in accordance with all applicable state and federal laws for disposal.

How many bears were humanely euthanized at WSU in the six year period in question?

Fifteen bears were humanely euthanized at WSU in the time period in question. Two additional bears were humanely euthanized and properly disposed of in January 2016. For comparison, 24 grizzly bears were humanely euthanized in 2015 and 72 in the past 5 years in the Yellowstone Ecosystem when they killed livestock or had become habituated to humans or human food resources. Prior to humane euthanasia, these Yellowstone bears were offered to the WSU-BREC and zoos around the world. No one could offer a home.

Is there a list or spreadsheet of the numbers of bears humanely euthanized, dates and the reason for each euthanasia?

Dr. Nina Woodford has the latest accounting spreadsheet.

From: Keane, Chris Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2016 1:31 PM To: Nordquist, Daniel G; Brown, Derek Arthur; Watson, Sandy; Woodford, Nina; Kluzik, Mike Subject: FW: updated timeline Attachments: Communication timeline and roles 3-8 10 am.docx All: FYI… Chris Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research Professor of Physics Washington State University French Administration 422 P.O. Box 646525, Pullman, WA 99164-6525 509-335-3574 (W) 509-335-5515 (fax) From: Austin, Erica Weintraub Sent: Tuesday, March 8, 2016 9:46 AM To: Keane, Chris <[email protected]>; Woodford, Nina <[email protected]>; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae <[email protected]>; Kerr, Colleen Elizabeth <[email protected]>; Gardner, John C <[email protected]>; Strenge, Robert L <[email protected]>; Coursey, Marta <[email protected]>; Slinker, Bryan <[email protected]>; DeWald, Daryll B <[email protected]>; Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]>; Lockard, Laura <[email protected]>; Varner, Lynne K <[email protected]>; Yang, Olivia Owyong <[email protected]>; Powell, Charlie <[email protected]> Cc: Mittelhammer, R C <[email protected]>; Peterson, Kristina A <[email protected]> Subject: updated timeline

Erica Weintraub Austin Interim Co-Provost Accreditation Liaison Officer and Proud Coug Mom 509-335-5581 Fax: 509-335-0103 From: Austin, Erica Weintraub Sent: Monday, March 7, 2016 8:45 PM To: Keane, Chris <[email protected]>; Woodford, Nina <[email protected]>; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae <[email protected]>; Kerr, Colleen Elizabeth <[email protected]>; Gardner, John C <[email protected]>; Strenge, Robert L <[email protected]>; Coursey, Marta <[email protected]>; Slinker, Bryan <[email protected]>;

DeWald, Daryll B <[email protected]>; Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]>; Lockard, Laura <[email protected]>; Varner, Lynne K <[email protected]>; Yang, Olivia Owyong <[email protected]>; Powell, Charlie <[email protected]> Cc: Mittelhammer, R C <[email protected]>; Peterson, Kristina A <[email protected]> Subject: BC Timeline, roles and list of materials Importance: High Kristina and I have drafted this based on our team discussion this afternoon. Please review for accuracy and completeness. Many thanks,

Erica Weintraub Austin Interim Co-Provost Accreditation Liaison Officer and Proud Coug Mom 509-335-5581 Fax: 509-335-0103





10:00 AM – Communications team finishes materials. Q&A will have second version provided later in the day with summary of report findings and action steps.

10:00 AM – Finalized media tool kit is delivered to Kristina Peterson-Wilson. 10:15 AM – Kristina Peterson-Wilson provides comprehensive media tool kit

(both hard copies and electronically) to Erica Austin, Dan Bernardo, and Colleen Kerr, and electronically to John Gardner.


o Preparation of possible experts and contacts re potential for media inquiries; Erica/Kristina for Craig and committee, Marta for others.

1:00 PM – President Bernardo sends communication to Board of Regents. 3:00 PM – Kim Kidwell and Chris Keane interview with the Moscow Daily News. 3:30 PM – Kim Kidwell and Chris Keane interview with the Lewiston Tribune. 3:30 PM – Internal email communication (from Chris Keane) is sent to the

following groups: o University Council – Ginger Druffel to send o Provost Council – Kristina Peterson-Wilson to send o Provost Staff – Kristina Peterson-Wilson to send o Research Council – Sandy Watson to send o WSU IACUC – Chris Keane to send o Chief Bill Gardner and Assistant Chief Steve Hansen – Marta Coursey to

send o Tim Pavish – Marta Coursey to send o College communications leads and social media managers – Marta

Coursey to send 3:30 PM – Web sites updates as follows:

o Bear Center website is updated to contain the Findings and Recommendation Report, fact sheet, and a link for emails on the Media Resources page (Media Resources button appears on landing page); funding info for the proposed new Center, technical resources on IACUC etc., and selected stories about the bears also are provided;


4:00 PM – External email communication sent to the following groups o Government Relations – Colleen Kerr to send

o IACUC – Chris Keane to send 4:00 PM+ - Team monitors social media traffic to determine next steps, if needed

o No announcements to be posted on Facebook or Twitter o Social media responses have been prepared for Facebook and Twitter o Team coordinates with safety officials and communication leadership team

in case situation escalates Elevation is identified by

Amount and tenor of web traffic Colleen Kerr, John Gardner, Tim Pavish reports from

stakeholder groups Presidential determination of necessary and appropriate

actions—Rob is gatekeeper to the President 5:00 PM – Debrief teleconference regarding interviews.


Materials


From: Keane, Christopher Sent: Sunday, January 24, 2016 10:56 PM To: Kluzik, Mike; Woodford, Nina Subject: FW: Bear report Attachments: 2015-12-10_LTR_KeaneToMittelhammer final v3.pdf; Review Report Final 011916.pdf Mike/Nina: FYI… Chris Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research Professor of Physics Washington State University French Administration 422 P.O. Box 646525, Pullman, WA 99164-6525 509-335-3574 (W) 509-335-5515 (fax) From: Brown-Haas, Lisa Sent: Friday, January 22, 2016 11:15 AM To: Parks, Craig David <[email protected]>; Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae <[email protected]> Cc: Foth, Alicia M <[email protected]>; Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]> Subject: RE: Bear report Good morning, The letter and report were delivered to the Provost office this morning. Thanks, Lisa From: Parks, Craig David Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 2016 10:23 AM To: Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Brown-Haas, Lisa <[email protected]>; Foth, Alicia M <[email protected]> Subject: Bear report Chris, Lisa, Alicia: ReviewReportTemplate 011916 is the final draft of our report. It is ready for you to format and collect signatures. Craig Craig D. Parks

Special Assistant to the Provost, ph. 509-335-7129 Department of Psychology, ph. 509-335-8946 President, APA Division 49 Washington State University [email protected] I’m hungry like the wolf.

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From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2016 5:56 PM To: Call, Doug Subject: Fwd: [ORaffiliates] Bear Research Center Sent from my iPhone Begin forwarded message:

From: "Keane, Chris" <[email protected]> Date: March 8, 2016 at 3:57:02 PM PST To: "'[email protected]'" <[email protected]> Cc: "Keane, Chris" <[email protected]> Subject: [ORaffiliates] Bear Research Center

Greetings, We recently received media inquiries regarding the WSU Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center and would like to ensure that you have accurate information regarding the Center operations and the quality of care for our bears. CAHNRS Acting Dean Kimberlee Kidwell and WSU executive leadership learned of possible concerns regarding the Bear Center last fall. Once alerted to the situation, I launched a preliminary review of the Bear Center. The review identified communications and protocol concerns that required a more extensive evaluation. Because we take the care of our bears very seriously, the Provost’s Office established an investigative team to thoroughly evaluate the Center and submit a subsequent report. That report was provided to me today. All of our bears are healthy and currently are coming out of hibernation. WSU takes pride in successfully managing the bear program and has done so for decades within strict federal and state animal welfare regulations and in partnership with many oversight agencies. The Provost Office report has verified that our Center’s care for the bears operates within its accreditation guidelines, and its accreditation has been reaffirmed. The committee also has provided recommendations for operational improvements that will guide future management of the Center. Many of you know our bears. You also know that as research animals they are in service to the greater conservation effort to restore grizzly populations throughout the world. We know that these grizzly bears are important not just to WSU but to the community. Thank you for your support of Washington State University and for caring for these bears as much as we do. You can find the report and more information on the Bear Center program at http://cahnrs.wsu.edu/bearinfo/. If you have any questions or additional concerns, please feel free to email us at [email protected]. Sincerely,

Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research

_______________________________________________ ORaffiliates mailing list [email protected] http://lists.wsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/oraffiliates

From: Coursey, Marta Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2016 7:38 PM To: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Woodford, Nina Cc: Lockard, Laura Subject: Fwd: bear center Nina can you please provide some talking points on this line of questioning about breeding decisions and the capacity of new center? Thanks for your timely response. M Sent from my iPhone Begin forwarded message:

From: Eric Barker <[email protected]> Date: March 8, 2016 at 6:50:52 PM PST To: "Coursey, Marta" <[email protected]> Subject: Re: bear center Reply-To: <[email protected]>

Hi Marta, FYI, my initial interest for follow up revolves around management of the bear population. How often do bears breed, is it controlled at all, will a new larger facility solve the problem or just increase the number of bears breeding? stuff like that, Eric.

On 3/8/2016 4:49 PM, Coursey, Marta wrote:

See responses below: You were very respectful in the interview. Thanks so much. I look forward to working with you. M From: Coursey, Marta Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2016 4:12 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: bear center Standby I think I can address the bulk of these. Sent from my iPhone On Mar 8, 2016, at 4:08 PM, Eric Barker <[email protected]> wrote:

Hi Marta, I'd like to schedule that tour we talked about and interviews with Charlie Robbins and Lyne Nelson. Also I have a few initial follow up questions I'd like you or Kim or Chris to address as soon as possible, 1. Was it Robbins and Nelson who were reassigned during the investigation? Dr. Lynne Nelson is a researcher in the facility and does not have oversight authority over the bear center or the oversight on the care of the bears. Dr. Charles Robbins was temporarily re-assigned: Dr. Keith Blatner is currently serving as Interim Director of the Bear Center operations. Dr. Steve Russell was temporarily re-assigned: Dr. Nina Woodford is serving as the Interim Director of the Office of the Campus Veterinarian (OCV). The veterinarian in the OCV (currently Nina Woodford) has authority and oversight over the care of all of the WSU bears. 2. Have they been re-instated to their former positions? No 3. Was anybody fired, demoted or reprimanded as a result of the investigation? No Thanks, Eric. -- Eric Barker Outdoor and Environmental Reporter Lewiston Tribune (208) 848-2273

-- Eric Barker

Outdoor and Environmental Reporter Lewiston Tribune (208) 848-2273

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, November 20, 2015 3:12 PM To: Robbins, Charles T; Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko Cc: Hess, Danielle A; Kluzik, Mike; Mittelhammer, R C; Barnard-La Pointe, Kathryn R.; Dewald, Daryll

B; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Keane, Christopher; Ryan, Terrance; '[email protected]'; Austin, Erica Weintraub

Subject: Immediate Action- Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center Attachments: OCV_Memo_to_BRC_112015.pdf Importance: High Please see the attachment concerning immediate action at the Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center Nina Woodford Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

From: Keane, Chris Sent: Monday, March 07, 2016 7:51 AM To: Peterson, Kristina A; Mittelhammer, R C; Austin, Erica Weintraub; Kerr, Colleen Elizabeth;

Strenge, Robert L; Coursey, Marta; Lockard, Laura; Harris, Therese R; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae Cc: Watson, Sandy; Woodford, Nina; Kluzik, Mike Subject: Important good news All: I just heard from Nina- she spoke to AAALAC this morning. AAALAC informed Nina they are “comfortable with us (WSU) stating that we have been granted continued full accreditation status” based on their fall visit. This is an important addition to the talking points- Marta et al., can you pls. work it in. Thanks Chris Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research Professor of Physics Washington State University French Administration 422 P.O. Box 646525, Pullman, WA 99164-6525 509-335-3574 (W) 509-335-5515 (fax) From: Keane, Chris Sent: Monday, March 7, 2016 7:45 AM To: Peterson, Kristina A <[email protected]>; Mittelhammer, R C <[email protected]>; Austin, Erica Weintraub <[email protected]>; Kerr, Colleen Elizabeth <[email protected]>; Strenge, Robert L <[email protected]>; Coursey, Marta <[email protected]>; Lockard, Laura <[email protected]>; Harris, Therese R <[email protected]>; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae <[email protected]> Cc: Watson, Sandy <[email protected]>; Woodford, Nina <[email protected]>; Kluzik, Mike <[email protected]> Subject: Edits on Bear Center Q+A All: Attached are some suggested edits on the Bear Q+A. Thanks Kim to you and colleagues for putting this and the other documents together. Note the added questions on “what does the report say,” to be filled in tomorrow, and “what actions has WSU taken.” CAHNRS and OR/OCV have taken a number of actions since last December and I think that “proactive” behavior should be communicated. With these changes, the document should cover both the CAHNRS and OCV perspective- i.e. it should be a “university” document. Also, as this is a Q+A, with pieces to be filled in tomorrow, I suggest this be kept for internal use only and not be posted- at least for tomorrow’s release.

Thanks Chris Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research Professor of Physics Washington State University French Administration 422 P.O. Box 646525, Pullman, WA 99164-6525 509-335-3574 (W) 509-335-5515 (fax) From: Peterson, Kristina A Sent: Friday, March 4, 2016 5:20 PM To: Keane, Chris <[email protected]> Cc: Watson, Sandy <[email protected]> Subject: FW: BC Documents for Final Approval Importance: High Dear Dr. Keane, Please find attached the most recent version of the handouts from today’s (March 4) meeting. Warmly, Kristina Kristina Peterson-Wilson | Executive Assistant Office of the Provost & Executive Vice President | Washington State University French Administration Building 436 | PO Box 641046 | Pullman WA 99164-1046 (509) 335-8915 | [email protected]

From: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae Sent: Friday, March 04, 2016 1:56 PM To: Austin, Erica Weintraub Cc: Mittelhammer, R C; Kerr, Colleen Elizabeth; Marta Coursey; Strenge, Robert L; Lockard, Laura; Harris, Therese R; Peterson, Kristina A Subject: BC Documents for Final Approval Importance: High Erica, I am sending you what Marta and I hope are the finalized documents for the bear center issue. Please review these, and consult with others as you deem appropriate, to finalize them. Please send the finalized edited documents back to Marta in one package. We will use these to activate the plan.

I assume that you and Kristina will distribute these to the appropriate parties once finalized. Please let us know if you need further assistance from us. Thank you, Kim Dr. Kim Kidwell, Professor Acting Dean College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences Washington State University PO Box 646243 Pullman, WA 99164-6242 Phone: 509-335-3590 email: [email protected]

From: Peterson, Kristina A Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 4:05 PM To: Keane, Chris; Woodford, Nina; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Kerr, Colleen Elizabeth; Gardner,

John C; Strenge, Robert L; Coursey, Marta; Slinker, Bryan; DeWald, Daryll B; Ryan, Terrance J; Lockard, Laura; Varner, Lynne K

Cc: Austin, Erica Weintraub; Mittelhammer, R C Subject: Information for Discussion/Coordination of Anticipated Research Program Report

Teleconference Importance: High Greetings, On behalf of Provost Erica Austin, please find the information below for today’s (March 1) 4:00 PM (Pacific) teleconference. Warmly, Kristina Kristina Peterson-Wilson | Executive Assistant Office of the Provost & Executive Vice President | Washington State University French Administration Building 436 | PO Box 641046 | Pullman WA 99164-1046 (509) 335-8915 | [email protected]

From: Austin, Erica Weintraub Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 4:03 PM To: Peterson, Kristina A Subject: FW: For our 4pm/7pm Call Importance: High Kristina, please distribute to the group: Communications Plan/Issues 3/1-3/8 NSF

Letter to Director of the NSF Chris Keane direct outreach to the Inspector General’s Office at the NSF External audit

________________________________________

Bear Research Center 3/8: Preliminary Report from the Provost’s Investigation [what is the formal name for this?] will be ready for release at 10am *10:00am – Release of Brief Statement by Chair of the Board: identified a problem, identified gaps in our research oversight protocol, addressed and remedied, Provost’s investigation – refer to report on Provost’s webpage [who will write this?] - statement to include a a dedicated email address where people can provide comments/concerns/questions, should also be on the Provost’s webpage with the link [who will staff this email account?] *10:00am – Simultaneous release of media advisory that Dr Kim Kidwell, Acting Dean of CAHNRS, and Dr Chris Keane, VPR will be available for questions at xx [who will draft?] Media forum for Chris and Kim: Kim speaks directly to the Bear Center, Chris speaks to research enterprise [CK will work with Chris to prep] [who will facilitate?] Social Media: WSU posts link to Provost’s Report on all our official social media: WSU main, CAHNRS, CVM, OR, GR; there will be a brief statement to accompany and to use across all outlets [who will draft?] Direct outreach to reporters: AP, Moscow-Pullman, Lewiston Tribune [we need to assign and coordinate] Stakeholders: Outreach to key stakeholder groups: CVM – Humane society of WA, etc and Seattle; student organizations? [need to identify and assign responsibilities]; key policy-makers [need a prioritized list] Talking points, etc: media tool kit – what will it contain specifically; tailored talking points for Dr Bernardo and Dr Mittlehammer and Dr Austin; basic talking points for senior staff; all questions should be referred to Dr Kidwell and Dr Keane Questions to address in advance of 3/8:

When exactly is the AAALAC report due? IACUC? Isolated issue? Briefing Regents – specifically, Chair Conversation around leadership of CAHNRS and Interim university leadership Do we still allow public access to the facility? If so, why? How do we address student concerns and questions?

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Wednesday, December 23, 2015 3:34 PM To: Kerr, Colleen Elizabeth Subject: information on WSU Bear Center Attachments: Disposition Table 122315.xlsx Good afternoon, Dr. Keane asked that I send you information regarding bear mortality in the event of a possible news release regarding the WSU Bear Center and subsequent questions that may arise. Kathy Barnard and Dr. Keane already have this information. I have attached a table describing all bear mortalities from the WSU Bear Center over the last 6 years. I am available to meet with you if you would like a more thorough explanation of the table. Please let me know if you have any questions Sincerely Nina Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

Number Date Animal Info Disposition / Comments Planned or unexpected/notification

1 winter 2009/2010 "Steff"adult male bear from USFWS. Euthanized in hibernation for research (healthy) planned for research

2&3 1/19/2010 "Chester & Remi"one year old bears hibernating in culvert traps, found weak/shaky, euthanized both after about 24 hrs of care unexpected illness followed by euthanasia

4 9/1/2010 "Gunner" 200 lb. young male Mauled by 2 adult females 9/31/10WSU Press Release (OCV helped respond) unexpected death


7 Feb-11 "Bond"adult bear from NW Montana. Euthanized in hibernation for research (healthy) planned for research



9 1/17/2014 "Sam"Necropsy report done 1/17/14 3 year old male found dead in culvert trap during hibernation. Gastric ulcers & kidney mass unexpected death

10 6/3/2014 "Mica" hand-reared female Found dead, necropsy report: perforated uterus, abdominal sepsis Submitted to OVC Animal Health Database unexpected death

11 2/15/2015 "Tag"4 year old male bear-planned euthanasia & tissue collection on 2/3/15 after hibernation in culvert planned for research


Summary




March 4, 2016 11:55 a.m.

















March 4, 2016 11:55 a.m.











From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Tuesday, December 01, 2015 9:10 AM To: Keane, Christopher Subject: long memo Attachments: BC Memo 113015.doc Is it time to send this out to Dr. Blatner? Nina Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

ATTORNEY-CLIENT COMMUNICATION TO: Keith Blatner, Interim Director of the Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center FROM: Nina Woodford, Interim Attending Veterinarian, Office of the Campus Veterinarian DATE: November 30, 2015 SUBJECT: Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center Management The following procedures and practices must be incorporated into the management of the Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center under the directive of The Office of the Campus Veterinarian (OCV). Effective daily monitoring of animal health and well-being including animals in

hibernation. Prompt reporting of all abnormal animals including illness, injury, death and adverse

reactions to research manipulations to the Office of the Campus Veterinarian and any other responsible veterinarians.

Maintenance of comprehensive and coherent health records in a manner such that a reviewer may readily track all treatments, testing and procedures (research and other) performed on each individual animal. All health records must be made available to the Office of the Campus Veterinarian. Health records will include the following: o Spontaneous illness or injury including history, exam findings, diagnosis,




o Any treatment given or procedures conducted that are not described and approved in an IACUC protocol or standard operating procedure must be accompanied with documentation that veterinary oversight and authority is in place (OCV or other responsible veterinarian)

o Identification of the author and date of all written entries made in the health records

Animal acquisition and breeding must have prior review and approval from the Office of the Campus Veterinarian.

All animal disposition and euthanasia must have prior approval from the Office of the Campus Veterinarian. The single exception is emergency euthanasia for humane reasons in the event of serious injury or illness. The Office of the Campus Veterinarian must be promptly notified of all euthanasia and spontaneous deaths. Necropsy procedures will be conducted at the discretion of the Office of the Campus Veterinarian.

The Office of the Campus Veterinarian will have unrestricted access to all animal facilities associated with the Bear Center to assess animal health, care and record-keeping.


The common goal of our program is to provide the highest quality care for the animals in the custody of Washington State University. Please contact me if you need clarification concerning these required modifications.

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2016 4:35 PM To: Woodford, Nina Subject: manager Attachments: Bear Center manager position 021816.docx Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

Washington State University is currently seeking a Facility Manager to oversee the daily operations of the WSU Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center. This position includes involvement and oversight of the proper care of bears used in a laboratory setting, feeding, sanitation and compliance with standard operating procedures as well as state and federal requirements. GENERAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FACILITIES MANAGER: Assist the Director and Veterinarian with overseeing day-to-day animal care and husbandry operations for the WSU Bear Center, oversee the implementation of operating policies and procedures developed by the Director and Veterinarian to enhance efficiency, and assist with project and IACUC protocol development and revision. Maintain records as required by NIH, USDA, and WSU policies on training, personnel, equipment, supplies and inventory, environmental safety, animal health, feeding, acquisition, disposition and variety of correspondence. Assist the Director in maintain facility equipment including cameras, anesthetic vaporizers, gates, doors, lights, pools, and fences, including electric fences. Track use of all supplies, including drugs, darting equipment, syringes, needles, food and other commonly used items to ensure that adequate supplies are always available. Track use of all controlled substances and ensure that inventory and records comply with state and DEA requirements. Conduct daily observations on bears. Must have the ability to recognize signs of abnormal behavior, illness, or injury, which is either experimentally-related or occurring spontaneously. Relay findings to the Director and Attending Veterinarian and consult and discuss animal health issues with the veterinary staff, investigators, and/or research staff. Provide technical assistance with data collection as requested by supervisors, veterinarians or research staff. This may include injections, catheter placement, remote delivery of chemical immobilization (darting), anesthesia monitoring or blood sampling and processing as examples. Assist Director & researchers in coordination and development of animal enrichment programs to develop and maintain normal bear behavior, minimize stereotypic behavior, and maintain safe interactions. Participate in training programs for the bears that are necessary for routine health care and research. This may include training bears for blood sampling, injections, biopsies, ultrasounds, or other procedures for which investigators would like to avoid anesthesia. Feed and water the animals and sanitize housing and animal use areas according to the standards set by federal law, standard operating procedures, and special experimental protocols. Maintain excellent working knowledge of federal and state laws, USDA regulations, PHS Policy and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, Fish and Wildlife and AAALAC requirements. Emergency duties may be required during adverse weather and other difficult conditions. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Commented [HJ1]: Not sure if our hire at the salary indicated would have this ability.

*Licensed Veterinary Technician *At least three years of experience working in an animal facility. *Candidates must demonstrate strong management skills, including exceptional interpersonal and communication skills. *Candidates must have the ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, and students from a variety of diverse backgrounds. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor's degree in Animal Science, Wildlife Biology, Zoology or a related field. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Supervisory or management experience in an animal facility setting. *Previous experience with bears or large carnivores. *Experience training animals. *Strong writing and oral communication skills and the ability to communicate effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and interests. *Familiarity with concepts, practices and procedures in a variety of research fields, including veterinary medicine, wildlife biology, physiology, and ecology.

Commented [HJ2]: May need to be more flexible with a 75% position

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, March 04, 2016 10:23 AM To: ; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Nelson, Lynne Subject: manager position Attachments: Bear Center manager position 030316.docx I have attached the latest version of the manager position with the changes incorporated from our discussions. The first paragraph under duties describes the line of authority. Is it compatible with HR to have the position paid out through the Dean’s office vs. the Center and then reportable to OCV? This version has not gone out to the rest of the BC personnel. If approvable, I’d like to share it with the group then the description will need to go on an official HR job description form with the salary information Thanks Nina Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

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Washington State University is currently seeking a Facility Manager to oversee the daily operations of the WSU Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center. This position includes involvement and oversight of the proper care of bears used in a laboratory setting, feeding, sanitation and compliance with standard operating procedures as well as state and federal requirements. GENERAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FACILITY MANAGER: The facility manager would report to the Office of the Campus Veterinarian Attending Veterinarian (Veterinarian) and Dean of CAHNRS and work in consultation with the WSU Bear Center Director (Director), faculty, staff and students associated with the Bear Center Assist the Veterinarian and Director with overseeing day-to-day animal care and husbandry operations for the WSU Bear Center, oversee the implementation of operating policies and procedures developed by the Veterinarian with consultation from the Director, and assist with project and IACUC protocol development and revision. Assist in daily husbandry activities including feeding and watering the animals and sanitizing housing and animal use areas according to the standards set by federal law, standard operating procedures, and special experimental protocols. In consultation with the Director, assist in training students, volunteers and staff in husbandry practices and coordinate personnel scheduling to provide daily care. Assist with the Veterinarian and Director with record maintenance as required by NIH, USDA, IACUC and WSU policies on training, personnel, animal health, feeding, acquisition, disposition and research use. Assist the Veterinarian in training researchers on the record maintenance required for their research/sampling procedures. Assist in tracking use of medical supplies, including drugs, darting equipment, syringes, needles, and other commonly used items to ensure that adequate supplies are available. Track use of all controlled substances and ensure that inventory and records comply with state and DEA requirements. Oversee the program of daily health observations on bears and assist in training alternate observers. Must have the ability to recognize signs of abnormal behavior, illness, or injury, which is either experimentally-related or occurring spontaneously. Relay findings to the Veterinarian and Director and consult and discuss animal health issues with the veterinary staff and research personnel. Provide technical assistance and training in sample collection as requested by veterinarians, director or research staff. This may include injections, catheter placement, remote delivery of chemical immobilization (darting), anesthesia monitoring or blood sampling and processing as examples. Assist the Veterinarian, Director and other research personnel in development and coordination of animal enrichment programs to develop and maintain normal bear behavior, minimize stereotypic behavior, and maintain safe interactions. Maintain familiarity of federal and state laws, USDA regulations, PHS Policy and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. Emergency duties may be required during adverse weather and other difficult conditions.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: *Licensed Veterinary Technician or Bachelor's degree in Animal Science, Wildlife Biology, Zoology or a related field. *At least three years of experience working in an animal facility. *Previous experience with bears or large carnivores. *Candidates must demonstrate strong management skills, including exceptional interpersonal and communication skills. *Candidates must have the ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, and students from a variety of diverse backgrounds. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Supervisory or management experience in an animal facility setting. *Experience training animals. *Strong writing and oral communication skills and the ability to communicate effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and interests. *Familiarity with concepts, practices and procedures in a variety of research fields, including veterinary medicine, wildlife biology, physiology, and ecology.

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, March 04, 2016 2:39 PM To: Blatner, Keith Allan; Robbins, Charles T; Jansen, Heiko; Nelson, Lynne; Cc: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Johnson, Lisa; Keane, Chris Subject: manager position Attachments: Bear Center manager position 3 4 16.docx Hello, Here is the last version of the Bear center facility manager position description. Dr. Kidwell is running the finances through HR about funding this as a 50%FTE. We can include this in the Wednesday meeting Please let me know if you have any questions thanks Nina Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

38

Washington State University is currently seeking a Facility Manager to oversee the daily operations of the WSU Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center. This position includes involvement and oversight of the proper care of bears used in a laboratory setting, feeding, sanitation and compliance with standard operating procedures as well as state and federal requirements. GENERAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FACILITY MANAGER: The facility manager would report to the Office of the Campus Veterinarian Attending Veterinarian (Veterinarian) and Dean of CAHNRS and work in consultation with the WSU Bear Center Director (Director), faculty, staff and students associated with the Bear Center. Assist the Veterinarian and Director with overseeing day-to-day animal care and husbandry operations for the WSU Bear Center, oversee the implementation of operating policies and procedures developed by the Veterinarian with consultation from the Director, and assist with project and IACUC protocol development and revision. Assist in daily husbandry activities including feeding and watering the animals and sanitizing housing and animal use areas according to the standards set by federal law, standard operating procedures, and special experimental protocols. In consultation with the Director, assist in training students, volunteers and staff in husbandry practices and coordinate personnel scheduling to provide daily care. Assist with the Veterinarian and Director with record maintenance as required by NIH, USDA, IACUC and WSU policies on training, personnel, animal health, feeding, acquisition, disposition and research use. Assist the Veterinarian in training researchers on the record maintenance required for their research/sampling procedures. Assist in tracking use of medical supplies, including drugs, darting equipment, syringes, needles, and other commonly used items to ensure that adequate supplies are available. Track use of all controlled substances and ensure that inventory and records comply with state and DEA requirements. Oversee the program of daily health observations on bears and assist in training alternate observers. Must have the ability to recognize signs of abnormal behavior, illness, or injury, which is either experimentally-related or occurring spontaneously. Relay findings to the Veterinarian and Director and consult and discuss animal health issues with the veterinary staff and research personnel. Provide technical assistance and training in sample collection as requested by veterinarians, director or research staff. This may include injections, catheter placement, remote delivery of chemical immobilization (darting), anesthesia monitoring or blood sampling and processing as examples. Develop and coordinate an animal enrichment program to develop and maintain normal bear behavior, minimize stereotypic behavior, and maintain safe interactions. Maintain familiarity of federal and state laws, USDA regulations, PHS Policy and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. Emergency duties may be required during adverse weather and other difficult conditions.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: *Licensed Veterinary Technician or Bachelor's degree in Animal Science, Wildlife Biology, Zoology or a related field. *At least three years of experience working in an animal facility. *Previous experience with bears or large carnivores. *Candidates must demonstrate strong management skills, including exceptional interpersonal and communication skills. *Candidates must have the ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, and students from a variety of diverse backgrounds. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Supervisory or management experience in an animal facility setting. *Experience training animals. *Strong writing and oral communication skills and the ability to communicate effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and interests. *Familiarity with concepts, practices and procedures in a variety of research fields, including veterinary medicine, wildlife biology, physiology, and ecology.

From: Watson, Sandy Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2016 9:40 AM To: Keane, Chris; Kluzik, Mike; Woodford, Nina Cc: Watson, Sandy Subject: March 8th Distribution Plan for Importance: High Here is a distribution summary of the report link based on our conversations on March 7th:

Point of Contact: Sandy Watson

Any/all media inquiries are to go to Marta Coursey ([email protected]; 509.335.2806)

For all other questions, please contact Mike Kluzik or Nina Woodward.

March 8 and 9:

Sandy Will send out the link to the report to all OR staff post-media interviews Send to Research Council

Will forward with IACUC (work with Mike Kluzik)

Mike and Nina Will call OLAW and USDA Wednesday (March 9th) morning.

Chris will talk to: Jack McIver (UI) Tom Scalak (Allen Foundation) Ron Howell Howard Gobstein (APLU) Mary Lidstrom (UW) Cindy Sagers (OSU) Others??

Please review and let me know if I have missed anything. Thanks!

Sandy Watson Assistant to the Vice President Office of Research Washington State University French Administration Room 422 PO Box 646525 Pullman, WA 99164-6525 Phone: 509.335.3574 Fax: 509-335-5515Email: [email protected]

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From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Monday, January 11, 2016 9:53 AM To: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Slinker, Bryan Cc: Keane, Christopher Subject: Memo draft to Dr. Blatner Attachments: BC Memo 011116.doc Hello Drs. Slinker and Kidwell, I sending a draft of a memo to be sent to the bear center director. Dr. Keane has requested that you preview it before I send it out. Please let me know if you would like any changes Thank you Nina Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

TO: Keith Blatner, Interim Director of the Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center FROM: Nina Woodford, Interim Attending Veterinarian, Office of the Campus Veterinarian DATE: January 11, 2016 SUBJECT: Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center Management In order to maintain a high quality care program for the animals in the custody of the Bear Research Center, the Office of the Campus Veterinarian requires that the following practices and procedures will be incorporated into the management of the Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center under the directive of The Office of the Campus Veterinarian (OCV). Effective daily monitoring of animal health and well-being including animals in

hibernation. Prompt reporting of all abnormal animals including illness, injury, death and adverse

reactions to research manipulations to the Office of the Campus Veterinarian and any other responsible veterinarians.





o Any treatment given or procedures conducted that are not described and approved in an IACUC protocol or standard operating procedure must be accompanied with documentation that veterinary oversight and authority is in place (OCV or other responsible veterinarian)




Campus Veterinarian. The single exception is emergency euthanasia for humane reasons in the event of serious injury or illness. The Office of the Campus Veterinarian must be promptly notified of all euthanasia and spontaneous deaths. Necropsy procedures will be conducted at the discretion of the Office of the Campus Veterinarian.

The Office of the Campus Veterinarian will have unrestricted access to all animal facilities associated with the Bear Center to assess animal health, care and record-keeping.



From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Wednesday, March 02, 2016 11:36 AM To: ; Nelson, Lynne Subject: new draft Attachments: Bear Center manager position 030116.docx I’m bringing copies with me Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

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Washington State University is currently seeking a Facility Manager to oversee the daily operations of the WSU Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center. This position includes involvement and oversight of the proper care of bears used in a laboratory setting, feeding, sanitation and compliance with standard operating procedures as well as state and federal requirements. GENERAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FACILITY MANAGER: The facility manager would report to the Office of the Campus Veterinarian Attending Veterinarian (Veterinarian) and Dean of CAHNRS and work in collaboration with the WSU Bear Center Director (Director), faculty, staff and students associated with the Bear Center Assist the Veterinarian and Director with overseeing day-to-day animal care and husbandry operations for the WSU Bear Center, oversee the implementation of operating policies and procedures developed by the Veterinarian with consultation from the Director, and assist with project and IACUC protocol development and revision. Assist the Veterinarian with record maintenance as required by NIH, USDA, IACUC and WSU policies on training, personnel, equipment, supplies and inventory, environmental safety, animal health, feeding, acquisition, disposition and variety of correspondence. Assist the Director to maintain facility equipment including cameras, anesthetic vaporizers, gates, doors, lights, pools, and fences, including electric fences. Track use of supplies, including drugs, darting equipment, syringes, needles, food and other commonly used items to ensure that adequate supplies are available. Track use of all controlled substances and ensure that inventory and records comply with state and DEA requirements. Conduct daily observations on bears and assist in training alternate observers. Must have the ability to recognize signs of abnormal behavior, illness, or injury, which is either experimentally-related or occurring spontaneously. Relay findings to the Veterinarian and Director and consult and discuss animal health issues with the veterinary staff, investigators, and/or research staff. Provide technical assistance and train other staff and students in data collection as requested by supervisors, veterinarians or research staff. This may include injections, catheter placement, remote delivery of chemical immobilization (darting), anesthesia monitoring or blood sampling and processing as examples. Assist the Veterinarian, Director and other research personnel in development and coordination of animal enrichment programs to develop and maintain normal bear behavior, minimize stereotypic behavior, and maintain safe interactions. Participate in training programs for the bears that are necessary for routine health care and research. This may include training bears for blood sampling, injections, biopsies, ultrasounds, or other procedures for which investigators would like to avoid anesthesia. Assist the Veterinarian, Director and other research personnel in daily husbandry activities including feeding and watering the animals and sanitizing housing and animal use areas according to the standards set by federal law, standard operating procedures, and special experimental protocols.

Maintain excellent working knowledge of federal and state laws, USDA regulations, PHS Policy and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, Fish and Wildlife and AAALAC requirements. Emergency duties may be required during adverse weather and other difficult conditions. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: *Licensed Veterinary Technician or Bachelor's degree in Animal Science, Wildlife Biology, Zoology or a related field. *At least three years of experience working in an animal facility. *Previous experience with bears or large carnivores. *Candidates must demonstrate strong management skills, including exceptional interpersonal and communication skills. *Candidates must have the ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, and students from a variety of diverse backgrounds. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Supervisory or management experience in an animal facility setting. *Experience training animals. *Strong writing and oral communication skills and the ability to communicate effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and interests. *Familiarity with concepts, practices and procedures in a variety of research fields, including veterinary medicine, wildlife biology, physiology, and ecology.



TO: Keith Blatner, Interim Director of the Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center FROM: Nina Woodford, Interim Attending Veterinarian, Office of the Campus Veterinarian DATE: February 15, 2016 SUBJECT: Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center Management In order to maintain a high quality care program for the animals in the custody of the Bear Research Center, the Office of the Campus Veterinarian (OCV) requires that the following practices and procedures be incorporated into the management of the Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center. The following practices and procedures have been expanded (in italics) to better describe the requirements. Effective daily monitoring of animal health and well-being including animals in

hibernation o Hibernation: daily documentation of animal health monitoring by video o Active period: Daily care sheet

Animal health monitoring Feeding & sanitation documentation Observations of abnormalities and treatments also go into individual bear

records o All entries should be dated and initialed by the personnel making the observations

Prompt reporting of all abnormal animals including illness, injury, death and adverse reactions to research manipulations to the Office of the Campus Veterinarian o OCV health database on-line reporting every work day year-round (can have

multiple reporters). o Call 509-335-6246 or 509-330-1871(emergency phone) if spontaneous death or

for illness/injury that requires immediate attention. Email [email protected] for minor medical conditions that do not require immediate care.

o Other veterinarians from the veterinary teaching hospital or those listed on the Animal Subject Approval Forms (ASAF) may initiate and proceed with appropriate veterinary care. The animal must still be reported to OCV via the database, phone call or email.


diagnostic plan and results, treatment plan & record of treatment given and



resolution This includes veterinary care directed by a veterinarian or conditions described in the bear colony standard operating procedures ASAF #4773

o Preventative health testing, procedures and treatments. As indicated above, this includes veterinary care directed by a veterinarian or conditions described in the bear colony standard operating procedures ASAF #4773.

o All research-oriented procedures including sedation, anesthesia, blood and tissue sampling, surgery, drug and chemical administration, euthanasia and other manipulations. Sampling/procedure/anesthesia documentation sheets are available. All procedures must have prior approval on an ASAF.


o Final disposition of the animal including method of euthanasia if applicable. o Identification of the author and date of all written entries made in the health

records. All entries should be made in pen.

Animal acquisition and breeding must have prior review and approval from the Office of the Campus Veterinarian.

o OCV will review acquisition/breeding proposals with the Director and associated personnel for the project requirements and space provisions as well as quarantine and testing requirements for wild-source bears.

All animal disposition and euthanasia must have prior approval from the Office of the Campus Veterinarian. The single exception is emergency euthanasia for humane reasons in the event of serious injury or illness. The Office of the Campus Veterinarian must be promptly notified of all euthanasia and spontaneous deaths. Necropsy procedures will be conducted at the discretion of the Office of the Campus Veterinarian.

o OCV will review proposed euthanasia procedures and project requirements with the Director and associated personnel.

o In the event of spontaneous death or emergency euthanasia, all animals will have a necropsy.

o The need for a necropsy in other situations will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.


o The OCV staff will receive orientation & safety training from the Bear Center personnel

o OCV staff will follow all Bear Center safety protocols o Disaster plans are in development. Once instituted, all Bear Center and OCV

personnel will receive training in disaster plan implementation.







November 20, 2015 As per the communication from Dean Kidwell, the following items have been removed by Dr. Christopher Keane, Vice President for Research, and Dr. Nina Woodford, Acting WSU Attending Veterinarian for copying in support of a public records request on Friday afternoon, November 20, 2015.

Black binder with daily care sheets and medical/procedure logs Individual bear record binders Controlled substance inventory log

The originals will be in the custody of the Office of Research until November 23, 2015 when they will be returned to the Bear center. If access to the documents is needed before November 23, 2015, please contact the following Christopher Keane, Vice President for Research 509-335-3574 or [email protected] Alicia Foth, Office of Research 509-335-5238 or [email protected] Nina Woodford, Acting Attending Veterinarian 509-335-8035 or [email protected]

From: [email protected] on behalf of Keane, Chris <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2016 3:57 PM To: '[email protected]' Cc: Keane, Chris Subject: [ORaffiliates] Bear Research Center Attachments: ATT00001.txt Greetings, We recently received media inquiries regarding the WSU Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center and would like to ensure that you have accurate information regarding the Center operations and the quality of care for our bears. CAHNRS Acting Dean Kimberlee Kidwell and WSU executive leadership learned of possible concerns regarding the Bear Center last fall. Once alerted to the situation, I launched a preliminary review of the Bear Center. The review identified communications and protocol concerns that required a more extensive evaluation. Because we take the care of our bears very seriously, the Provost’s Office established an investigative team to thoroughly evaluate the Center and submit a subsequent report. That report was provided to me today. All of our bears are healthy and currently are coming out of hibernation. WSU takes pride in successfully managing the bear program and has done so for decades within strict federal and state animal welfare regulations and in partnership with many oversight agencies. The Provost Office report has verified that our Center’s care for the bears operates within its accreditation guidelines, and its accreditation has been reaffirmed. The committee also has provided recommendations for operational improvements that will guide future management of the Center. Many of you know our bears. You also know that as research animals they are in service to the greater conservation effort to restore grizzly populations throughout the world. We know that these grizzly bears are important not just to WSU but to the community. Thank you for your support of Washington State University and for caring for these bears as much as we do. You can find the report and more information on the Bear Center program at http://cahnrs.wsu.edu/bearinfo/. If you have any questions or additional concerns, please feel free to email us at [email protected]. Sincerely, Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Thursday, March 03, 2016 2:52 PM To: Gwen M. Anderson Subject: points Gwen- looking for general talking points. Do you have any ideas on edits? Don’t know step specifics The first priority of the WSU animal program is proper animal care per approved regulatory guidelines - WSU has a long-standing animal care program that oversees over 20,000 animals. The program has been reviewed by AAALAC (the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care) every 3 years since 1979 and undergoes annual reviews through the USDA. WSU has been taking steps to strengthen oversight/compliance generally as we expand our research enterprise (Grand Challenges, etc.) and launch the medical school in Spokane - These steps will address the issues identified in the report. Steps include improving the culture around safety and assurances (President’s recent statement), strengthening IACUC processes and oversight of the Bear Center, and conducting an external review of the animal care program - These changes will assure WSU continues to execute its land grant mission with our highest priority- safety and security- in mind Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2016 8:44 AM To: Robbins, Charles T; Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko; Blatner, Keith Allan Cc: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae Subject: position description draft Attachments: manager position 020116.docx Here is a rough draft of a manager position description as per our discussion last Friday. This does not include deer management but it is a starting point. Please modify as needed Thanks Nina Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

Washington State University is currently seeking a Facility Manger to oversee the daily operations of the WSU Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center. This position includes oversight of the proper care of wildlife used in a laboratory setting, feeding, sanitation and compliance with standard operating procedures as well as state and federal requirements. GENERAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FACILITIES MANAGER: *Assists Director and Veterinarian with overseeing day-to-day animal care and husbandry operations for the WSU Bear Center. Develops and implements internal operating policies and procedures to improve accountability or efficiency. Assists with project and IACUC protocol development and revision. *Serves as the responsible party for the WSU Bear Center in the absence of the Director. *Organizes, supervises and trains students, volunteers and research staff to ensure that all policies, procedures and husbandry practices are maintained and in compliance with all federal regulations and University policies. Develop and maintain safety and training manuals and training records. *Provides information, advice, and direction to investigators, students, staff and the public. *Manages the Bear Center website, educational tours & materials as well as T-shirt sales and other fundraising activities. Provides budget assistance *Maintains records, as required by NIH, USDA, & WSU policies on training, personnel, equipment and supplies inventory, environmental safety, animal health, feeding, acquisition, disposition and variety of correspondence. *Maintenance of facility equipment including cameras, anesthetic vaporizers, gates, etc… *Conducts daily observations on bears. Must have the ability to recognize signs of abnormal behavior, illness, or injury, which is either experimentally-related or occurring spontaneously. Relays findings to the Attending Veterinarian and consults with the veterinary staff, and discusses animal health issues with investigators and/or research staff. *Provides technical assistance and assistance with data collection as requested by supervisors, veterinarians or research staff members. This may include injections, catheter placement, remote delivery of chemical immobilization (darting), blood sampling, etc. *Coordinate and develop the animal enrichment and training program to develop and maintain bear behavior and consistent safety interactions *Feed and water the animals and sanitize housing and animal use areas according to the standards set by federal law, standard operating procedures and special experimental protocols. Coordinate, supervise and train students and volunteers who would assist with this bear care. *Maintains excellent working knowledge of federal and state laws, USDA regulations, PHS Policy and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, Fish and Wildlife and AAALAC requirements.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: *Requires a Bachelor's degree in Animal Science, Wildlife Biology or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. *At least five years of experience working in an animal facility. *Candidates must demonstrate strong management skills, including exceptional interpersonal and communication skills. *Candidates must have the ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, and students from a variety of diverse backgrounds. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: *Supervisory or management experience in an animal facility setting. *Certified as a Laboratory Animal Technician (LAT) or higher with the American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS), or equivalent. *Strong writing, editing, and oral communication skills and the ability to communicate effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Minimum Education and Experience Requirements: Graduation from a four year college or university and two years of general research experience preferably with supervision; or an equivalent combination of training and experience. Familiarity with a variety of the research fields concepts, practices and procedures. Demonstrated experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Emergency duties required during adverse weather and or other emergency situations.

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, January 15, 2016 8:48 AM To: Blatner, Keith Allan; Robbins, Charles T; Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko Cc: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike;

Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance Subject: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Attachments: Bear Memo 011516.docx Good morning Drs. Blatner, Robbins, Nelson and Jansen, Please see the attachment concerning procedures and record-keeping practices at the Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center. The procedures scheduled for next week are approved. Please contact me if you have any questions Nina Woodford Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]





















From: Keane, Chris Sent: Monday, March 07, 2016 1:29 AM To: Kluzik, Mike; Woodford, Nina Cc: Watson, Sandy Subject: Questions and draft talking points Attachments: keane_talking_points_7mar16_v1.docx Hi Mike and Nina: Thanks for reviewing these documents. A few questions: 1. As I asked Nina today- we need to call AAALAC tomorrow, and inform them of the release planned for tomorrow afternoon. Most importantly, pls. also ask them exactly what if anything we can say publicly regarding the accreditation visit. Can we say no major finds were noted, etc? We will put this sentence in the talking points. 2. For USDA- what is the right wording to describev the outcome of the July 2015 visit? "No major findings" or something else? I've also attached my draft talking points for Tuesday- please comment. Thanks Chris Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research Professor of Physics Washington State University French Administration 422 P.O. Box 646525, Pullman, WA 99164-6525 509-335-3574 (W) 509-335-5515 (fax) -----Original Message----- From: Kluzik, Mike Sent: Sunday, March 6, 2016 8:33 PM To: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]>; Keane, Chris <[email protected]> Subject: RE: BC Documents for Final Approval Good Evening Chris and Nina, I'm just checking in, was out most the day. I'm available at 11:00 tomorrow, and will review these documents tonight. Mike ________________________________________ From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2016 8:21 PM To: Keane, Chris Cc: Kluzik, Mike Subject: RE: BC Documents for Final Approval

Hello Chris, I made minor edits to the attached 4 documents. I did not see any issues with the remaining documents. I can attend the 11 am meeting thanks Nina ________________________________ From: Keane, Chris Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2016 2:39 PM To: Kluzik, Mike; Woodford, Nina; Watson, Sandy Subject: FW: BC Documents for Final Approval Hi Mike/Nina: FYI.. from last Friday’s conf. call. Will discuss further when we talk later today (Mike- I just spoke to Nina). Key events: Mon. 11AM Kim/Chris Prep for Tuesday media Tues. 7:30 AM Provost report released Tues. 8-2 PM Stakeholder notification Tues 2PM Press event (Kim, Chris, others) I think you should plan to attend the 11 AM prep tomorrow. Sandy will send you the time/location. Also- IMPORTANT: I will send you both edited versions of the above documents later tonight to review. Pls. edit them tonight- I need them for an early morning conference call tomorrow. Thanks Chris Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research Professor of Physics Washington State University French Administration 422

P.O. Box 646525, Pullman, WA 99164-6525 509-335-3574 (W) 509-335-5515 (fax) From: Peterson, Kristina A Sent: Friday, March 4, 2016 5:20 PM To: Keane, Chris <[email protected]> Cc: Watson, Sandy <[email protected]> Subject: FW: BC Documents for Final Approval Importance: High Dear Dr. Keane, Please find attached the most recent version of the handouts from today’s (March 4) meeting. Warmly, Kristina Kristina Peterson-Wilson | Executive Assistant Office of the Provost & Executive Vice President | Washington State University French Administration Building 436 | PO Box 641046 | Pullman WA 99164-1046 (509) 335-8915 | [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> [cid:454DE281-9760-441B-99F1-F976598CB661] From: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae Sent: Friday, March 04, 2016 1:56 PM To: Austin, Erica Weintraub Cc: Mittelhammer, R C; Kerr, Colleen Elizabeth; Marta Coursey; Strenge, Robert L; Lockard, Laura; Harris, Therese R; Peterson, Kristina A Subject: BC Documents for Final Approval Importance: High Erica, I am sending you what Marta and I hope are the finalized documents for the bear center issue. Please review these, and consult with others as you deem appropriate, to finalize them. Please send the finalized edited documents back to Marta in one package. We will use these to activate the plan. I assume that you and Kristina will distribute these to the appropriate parties once finalized. Please let us know if you need further assistance from us. Thank you, Kim Dr. Kim Kidwell, Professor Acting Dean College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences Washington State University PO Box 646243 Pullman, WA 99164-6242 Phone: 509-335-3590

email: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>

C. Keane talking points Release of Bear Center Report

March 8, 2016

1. Bear Center overview

a) First, bears are fine and healthy- a busy time as they are emerging from hibernation.

b) WSU Bear Center, founded in 1986, is unique in the nation, and has a long and distinguished history of research, education, and outreach. Research in nutrition, physiology, behavior supports wild bear populations through North America. Also has implications for human health. WSU is proud of the Bear Center and the research conducted there.

c) WSU Bear Center staff and operations are managed by the School of the Environment Prof. Keith Blatner, reporting to Dr. Kidwell. Animal care program is managed by Dr. Nina Woodford (Office of the Campus Veterinarian) and the WSU Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), both reporting to Dr. Keane.

2. University animal care policies and oversight

a) Safe and ethical treatment of animals, as defined by the Animal Welfare Act and the Natl. Academies Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, is the first priority for the WSU animal care program.

b) USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) administers the federal Animal Welfare Act, and inspects facilities on a regular basis. Requires IACUC. WSU is a Category 1 institution (certified by AAALAC- Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International).

c) Last USDA visit to Bear Center was July 2015- no significant finds. Last AAALAC accreditation visit was fall 2015, AAALAC letter expected shortly.

d) IACUC protocols in place for all bear experiments.

3. Report overview

a) Preliminary report chartered October 21, 2015; final received Jan. 19, 2016

b) Staff reassigned immediately (early Nov. 2015) pending completion of the investigative process. This is a normal procedure at WSU for individuals involved in such investigations.

c) Keane/Kidwell request Provost investigation the same day (1/19/16)- report is released today.

4. What did the report say?

(Include major finds from report- insert Tuesday AM)

5. Where do we go from here?

Strengthening of compliance/oversight has been a top budget/staffing priority for the VPR since arrival at WSU in July 2014. Dean Kidwell and I are working together to strengthen the Bear Center and ensure its continued preeminence as a research facility. Specific actions include:

a) Enhanced oversight of the Bear Center by CAHNRS and the Campus Veterinarian

b) A Bear Center facility director has been hired and will commence work in mid-March. This will improve record keeping and regular reporting to the IACUC.

c) The Office of Research has strengthened IACUC post-approval reviews- this was in progress before this incident and will benefit the entire animal care program.

d) An external review of the WSU animal care program has been in preparation and will be launched within the next month.

e) WSU Interim President Bernardo has launched a WSU safety initiative. This initiative will enhance the culture of safety overall at WSU, including laboratory safety and compliance, and support growth in the size, reach, and mission impact of WSU’s research effort. To summarize: compliant work is safe work.

From: Charles T. Robbins <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, February 17, 2016 3:49 PM To: Sturko, Michael Matthew; Blatner, Keith Allan; Woodford, Nina; Miller, Darlene Rae Cc: Cole, Ronald Craig; Fischer, Christopher J; Naylor, Colleen Marie; Kamerrer, Kathleen Fae;

Cornish, Kelly Elizabeth; Jones, Kellie Jo; Kennedy, Saren M; Simmons, Emily Rae; Hamburg, Staci; Lowman, Craig A; Plummer, Jessica A; Cunningham, Aaron A; Potratz, Steven John; Ringo, Shawn Patrick; Plotner, Todd; Hemphill, Charles

Subject: RE: 2016-017235; EHS Rooms 8 and 10, Remove walls and doors, Cost Proposal Mike: Please move forward with designing the external covering of the concrete platform at the far end of the Bear Facility---i.e., the external project that you’ve listed as the second option for $28,000 to $30,000. Budget 15T-3046-1001 Please move forward as soon as you can. Thanks. Charles T. Robbins From: Sturko, Michael Matthew [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, February 15, 2016 3:41 PM To: Blatner, Keith Allan; Robbins, Charles T Cc: Cole, Ronald Craig; Fischer, Christopher J; Naylor, Colleen Marie; Kamerrer, Kathleen Fae; Cornish, Kelly Elizabeth; Jones, Kellie Jo; Kennedy, Saren M; Simmons, Emily Rae; Hamburg, Staci; Lowman, Craig A; Plummer, Jessica A; Sturko, Michael Matthew; Cunningham, Aaron A; Potratz, Steven John; Ringo, Shawn Patrick; Plotner, Todd; Hemphill, Charles Subject: 2016-017235; EHS Rooms 8 and 10, Remove walls and doors, Cost Proposal Dear Keith and Charlie, Thank you for contacting Facilities Services. In response to your request, I have prepared the following conceptual estimate and a proposal for preliminary design. If you wish to move forward with preliminary design, please complete the section below marked “Customer Required Information” and reply (to all). If you would prefer not to move forward with preliminary design, please reply and let us know if you would like to defer this project to a specific date, cancel the project, or if you would like to have me resubmit the proposal based on revisions or new information. Either way, we would appreciate your response as soon as possible. If we do not hear back from you within the next 45 days, this project will be cancelled. Mike Sturko Facilities Services-Project Management Group Washington State University [email protected] 509-335-9006 or 509-432-1105

CONCEPTUAL OPINION OF BUDGET This is an opinion of total project budget based on a limited evaluation of the scope of work and site conditions and is therefore subject to variability. Date: 2/15/16 Probable Construction Method: Facilities Services Shops

Reason for Work: The bear facilities manager needs a larger space to accommodate the use of a bear monitoring equipment in the ground level space of EHS building rooms 8 and 10. Scope of Work Proposed for EHS building rooms 8 and 10 to include:

Design consultant will be required for electrical and structural design. Excludes network cable termination, testing and activation work. Good faith survey will be required because asbestos containing materials maybe disturbed. Excludes asbestos abatement. Excludes disassemble/reassemble and moving new equipment into the new space. Disconnect HVAC control air copper tubing from CMU wall and relocate to ceiling to accommodate wall

and ceiling removal. Disconnect electrical conduit from CMU wall and relocate to ceiling, install junction boxes for new wires

to accommodate wall and ceiling removal. Disconnect HVAC vent ducts and fitting from ceilings/walls to accommodate wall and ceiling

removal. Install HVAC vent grilles on remaining wall. Remove metal wall/ceiling and door acoustical components. Remove 2 doors and 30' of CMU partition walls to open up rooms 8 and 10 Relocate metal gate to corridor 25. Remove existing 4-6x7-0 exterior exit door from north wall. Cut and remove exterior wall masonry to create a 5-4x7-0 wall opening for new 5-0x7-0 metal door. Install new metal masonry lintel on exterior building brick veneer. Fab and Install new vertical metal column to support interior concrete beam. Install new 5-0x7-0 metal door, frame and hardware in north exterior wall. Install 2 new surface mounted ceiling light fixtures and relocate light switch circuit for new space. Install new 220V, 60A circuit, breaker and receptacle for new space. Patch and paint interior masonry walls and ceiling in and adjacent to new space. Paint metal door and frame.


Optional Scope of Work Proposed for EHS building to accommodate access to west side yard from north parking lot to include:

Design consultant will be required. Excludes pre-engineered/fabricated metal canopy and wall cover over existing concrete pad on west

side yard. Excludes disassemble/reassemble and moving new equipment into the new space. Modify existing pedestrian, chain-link fence and install new 6-0x8-0 chain link security gate. Modify existing animal containment, chain-link fence and install new 6-0x8-0 chain link security gate. Install 24'Lx10'H of solid metal panels on the north and east sides of the animal containment, chain-link

fence to block line of sight from north parking lot. Install 2 new surface mounted ceiling light fixtures and relocate light switch circuit. Install new 220V, 60A circuit, breaker and receptacles.


Known Project Schedule Constraints/Expectations: Bear facility manager requested the work be completed in

April 2016

Opinion of Project Duration (Design through Construction): 3-4 Months REQUEST FOR PRELIMINARY DESIGN FUNDING Approval is required to proceed with the preliminary phase, for a cost not to exceed: $13,000.00 for the interior option or $10,000.00 for the exterior option. This portion of the total will be used for expenses to provide: preliminary architectural, mechanical and electrical engineering/design consultant and Facilities Services administration. Following receipt from the signature authority below, we will begin the preliminary phase of the project. Customer Required Information: Funding Authority/Facility Liaison: Project Liaison: Account Code: Date:

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Sunday, January 31, 2016 2:07 PM To: Erdman, Phyllis Subject: RE: 4780 I usually don't do the sending. Either the lead reviewer or sends them

From: Erdman, Phyllis Sent: Sunday, January 31, 2016 11:26 AM To: Woodford, Nina; Cc: Kluzik, Mike Subject: RE: 4780

Yes, I concur. Nina, are you sending this to the PI or me? Phyllis Erdman, Ph.D. Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs College of Education Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-2114 Phone: 509/335-1738 Fax: 509/335-9172 Email: [email protected] From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, January 29, 2016 12:45 PM To: Erdman, Phyllis <[email protected]>; Cc: Kluzik, Mike <[email protected]> Subject: 4780 Hello Phyllis and these are my conclusions from the Wednesday meeting discussion. Is this consistent with your recollections? 4780-1 was subject to a full committee IACUC discussion regarding the issue of secondary containment. The fencing currently surrounding the proposed treadmill area is 8 feet high with no ceiling fencing, tip-in or hot wire. Approval of ASAF 4780-1 is deferred until the following conditions are met and verified by an IACUC site inspection of the facility once the treadmill is in place

1. The treadmill must be at least 3 feet away from the exterior fence to meet AWA requirements for secondary containment

2. A secure method of transferring the bear from the transport cage to the treadmill and back again must be established and in place

3. The secondary fencing around the treadmill area must be modified to include bear-proof ceiling fencing to prevent the possibility of an escaped bear climbing on top of the treadmill and over the secondary fencing or onto the roof of the building.

Nina

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Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

From: Blatner, Keith Allan Sent: Monday, January 25, 2016 11:14 AM To: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Robbins, Charles T; Woodford, Nina Cc: Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike;

Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance; Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby; Coursey, Marta; Johnson, Lisa Subject: RE: action: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Kim Thank you for agree to arrange and chair the meeting I requested in my email last week concerning the operations of the bear facility. Let me assure you that everyone associated with the bear research program wants to be in full compliance federal policies concerning animal health and wellbeing. We are simply seeking additional clarity. So as to avoid any potential confusion, please note that I drafted the original email at Ron Mittelhammer ‘s prompting after discussing my concerns with him. In addition, he reviewed my draft email and approved it prior to my sending it out. Keith Keith A. Blatner Professor and Program Leader for Forestry School of the Environment Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-2812 Tel: 509-335-4499 Fax: 509-335-7862 Email: [email protected] From: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae Sent: Saturday, January 23, 2016 9:01 AM To: Robbins, Charles T; Woodford, Nina; Blatner, Keith Allan Cc: Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike; Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance; Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby; Coursey, Marta; Johnson, Lisa Subject: action: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Importance: High Charlie, Nina and Keith, I appreciate the thoughtful comments that you have exchanged below. At this point, it would be best for us to have face to face meeting to address issues and concerns. I would like to attend this meeting to facilitate discussion, and to represent the college’s perspective on this situation. I also want to reiterate that my expectation is that all CAHNRS faculty are in 100% compliance with federal and university policies concerning animal health and well-being in every situation where animals are involved in research. Please join me in moving forward into a constructive conversation with that thought in mind. Lisa Johnson will assist with arranging this meeting. Respectfully,

Kim Dr. Kim Kidwell, Professor Acting Dean College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences Washington State University PO Box 646243 Pullman, WA 99164-6242 Phone: 509-335-3590 email: [email protected] From: Charles T. Robbins [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, January 22, 2016 10:38 AM To: Woodford, Nina; Blatner, Keith Allan Cc: Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike; Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance; Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby Subject: RE: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Nina/Keith: I would still like to have the meeting Keith proposes to discuss the issues both he and you identified, and ultimately develop the wording for the ideas that you indicate below that will be added to your earlier document. There is at least one other issue in your document that I would like to discuss further. That issue is, “Animal acquisition and breeding must have prior review and approval from the Office of the Campus Veterinarian.” I think that point needs to be fleshed out far better than just that broad statement, and as Keith points out, my concern is well into the future when other CVs are hired. If we have a CV come in who views the Bear Program as nothing more than a zoo, has strong feelings against euthanizing bears, and research is viewed as a secondary purpose of the Bear Center as occurs in zoos, the research program and outside research funding from natural resource agencies will come to an end as we move into geriatric bear care. Frankly, 2/3’s of the research that my group has done over the years could not have been done if breeding and euthanasia for research purposes were severely curtailed. So, I would like to have a meeting to thoroughly discuss all of the issues in your document. Thanks. Charlie From: Woodford, Nina [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, January 22, 2016 10:02 AM To: Blatner, Keith Allan Cc: Robbins, Charles T; Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike; Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance; Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby Subject: RE: practices & procedures at the Bear Center

Hello Keith, Thank you for your email. I welcome a meeting between OCV and the WSU Bear Center faculty to discuss parameters. A simple response to the two primary concerns. First, video monitoring during hibernation is sufficient but daily documentation of hibernation monitoring needs to be implemented. Second, OCV staff do not need unescorted access into the bear pens and direct contact with awake bears. I fully agree that this would be a very dangerous and unacceptable situation. If a health problem is noted on video or from viewing from outside the pens then the Bear Center faculty would be contacted to assist in evaluating the animal. For your information, I have attached the revised 2016 USDA Animal Care Inspection Guide which was released for general distribution last Friday. It has updated information on USDA record keeping and training requirements in Chapter 6 and in particular pages 6-10 to 6-19. The Animal Welfare Act has not changed but the guidelines for how the inspectors conduct the inspection process have been upgraded. I propose that Dr. Clyde and I meet with the Bear Center faculty to confirm that our current record keeping and training meets the expectations in the upgraded guidelines. This may need to be in a separate meeting because of time restraints. Thank you Nina From: Blatner, Keith Allan Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2016 4:32 PM To: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]> Cc: Blatner, Keith Allan <[email protected]>; Robbins, Charles T <[email protected]>; Nelson, Lynne <[email protected]>; Jansen, Heiko <[email protected]>; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae <[email protected]>; Dewald, Daryll B <[email protected]>; Slinker, Bryan <[email protected]>; Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Kluzik, Mike <[email protected]>; Erdman, Phyllis <[email protected]>; Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]> Subject: FW: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Nina, I greatly appreciate receiving your recent email outlining the practices and procedures at the Bear Center. I fully respect your role and responsibility as campus veterinarian in the over sight of the bear facility. You have a substantial ethical and legal responsibility to ensure that the bears are properly cared for and everyone one respects and values that role. However, in my current temporarily role as Acting Director of the Bear Center, I do have some questions about two of the requirements stated in the memo. The first of these: “Effective daily monitoring of animal health and well-being including animals in hibernation”. I have no issue with the need for daily monitoring per se, but the mechanism for implementing daily monitoring during hibernation is not spelled out. For example if video monitoring during this period is acceptable, then I have no issue to raise regarding the requirement. Conversely, if this were to involve physical observation of the bears on a daily basis, I would have substantial concerns, since such activity could endanger the health of the bears due to disturbing the hibernation process. Based on my conversions with Charlie, I believe you are willing to accept video observation of the animals. However, the next CV might

not view it in the same manner. Similarly, a lawyer with no background in animal care or hibernating bears might come to very different conclusion as to what is required. Hence, I feel this requirement needs further clarification please. My second potential concern relates to the following: “The Office of the Campus Veterinarian will have unrestricted access to all animal facilities associated with the Bear Center to assess animal health, care and record-keeping. OCV will conduct frequent rounds of the facilities to verify the quality of care.” Again I have no issue with the need for monitoring by your office. However, we have had issues in the past where the CV has actually entered the pens with wild bears when the bears were not in hibernation and were not sedated. This is a very dangerous and unacceptable activity, which put the university at considerable risk to say nothing of the CV. If the issue is access to area behind the pens and related, then I have no real concerns. If it includes direct access to the bears, then I submit that considerably more detailed procedures are required. As a result of these potential concerns and possibly others, I would like to please request a meeting of Charlie, Lynne, Heiko, and myself with you and any other members of your team as you see fit to review the practices and procedures outlined in the memo. I hope that all parties will view this meeting positively as a collaborative effort to further clarify the needed procedures as a mechanism to avoid future problems. I greatly appreciate your expertise and knowledge in this area, and I am confident that this meeting will serve as the foundation for a long-term collaborative relationship between the CV and the bear center. After all, we are clearly in agreement that we want the bears to receive the best care possible, while allowing us to safely pursue the research mission of the university. Thank you for considering my request. Keith Keith A. Blatner Professor and Program Leader for Forestry and

Interim Director Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center School of the Environment Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-2812 Tel: 509-335-4499 Fax: 509-335-7862 Email: [email protected] From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, January 15, 2016 8:48 AM To: Blatner, Keith Allan; Robbins, Charles T; Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko Cc: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike; Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance Subject: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Good morning Drs. Blatner, Robbins, Nelson and Jansen, Please see the attachment concerning procedures and record-keeping practices at the Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center. The procedures scheduled for next week are approved.

Please contact me if you have any questions Nina Woodford Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

From: Blatner, Keith Allan Sent: Monday, January 25, 2016 11:02 AM To: Johnson, Lisa; Robbins, Charles T; Woodford, Nina Cc: Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko Subject: RE: action: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Lisa Yes, Friday the 29th at 1:00 PM will work for me. Keith Keith A. Blatner Professor and Program Leader for Forestry School of the Environment Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-2812 Tel: 509-335-4499 Fax: 509-335-7862 Email: [email protected] From: Johnson, Lisa Sent: Monday, January 25, 2016 9:12 AM To: Robbins, Charles T; Woodford, Nina; Blatner, Keith Allan Cc: Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko Subject: RE: action: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Good morning, Would 1pm this Friday, the 29th work for you all? Lisa Lisa Johnson Assistant to the Dean College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences Washington State University Hulbert Hall 421 | P.O. Box 646242 | Pullman, WA 99164-6242 509-335-4561 | 509-335-1065 (f) | [email protected] cahnrs.wsu.edu

GO COUGS!!!

From: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae Sent: Saturday, January 23, 2016 9:01 AM To: Robbins, Charles T <[email protected]>; Woodford, Nina <[email protected]>; Blatner, Keith Allan <[email protected]> Cc: Nelson, Lynne <[email protected]>; Jansen, Heiko <[email protected]>; Dewald, Daryll B <[email protected]>; Slinker, Bryan <[email protected]>; Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Kluzik, Mike <[email protected]>; Erdman, Phyllis <[email protected]>; Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]>; Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby <[email protected]>; Coursey, Marta <[email protected]>; Johnson, Lisa <[email protected]> Subject: action: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Importance: High Charlie, Nina and Keith, I appreciate the thoughtful comments that you have exchanged below. At this point, it would be best for us to have face to face meeting to address issues and concerns. I would like to attend this meeting to facilitate discussion, and to represent the college’s perspective on this situation. I also want to reiterate that my expectation is that all CAHNRS faculty are in 100% compliance with federal and university policies concerning animal health and well-being in every situation where animals are involved in research. Please join me in moving forward into a constructive conversation with that thought in mind. Lisa Johnson will assist with arranging this meeting. Respectfully, Kim Dr. Kim Kidwell, Professor Acting Dean College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences Washington State University PO Box 646243 Pullman, WA 99164-6242 Phone: 509-335-3590 email: [email protected] From: Charles T. Robbins [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, January 22, 2016 10:38 AM To: Woodford, Nina; Blatner, Keith Allan Cc: Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike; Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance; Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby Subject: RE: practices & procedures at the Bear Center

Nina/Keith: I would still like to have the meeting Keith proposes to discuss the issues both he and you identified, and ultimately develop the wording for the ideas that you indicate below that will be added to your earlier document. There is at least one other issue in your document that I would like to discuss further. That issue is, “Animal acquisition and breeding must have prior review and approval from the Office of the Campus Veterinarian.” I think that point needs to be fleshed out far better than just that broad statement, and as Keith points out, my concern is well into the future when other CVs are hired. If we have a CV come in who views the Bear Program as nothing more than a zoo, has strong feelings against euthanizing bears, and research is viewed as a secondary purpose of the Bear Center as occurs in zoos, the research program and outside research funding from natural resource agencies will come to an end as we move into geriatric bear care. Frankly, 2/3’s of the research that my group has done over the years could not have been done if breeding and euthanasia for research purposes were severely curtailed. So, I would like to have a meeting to thoroughly discuss all of the issues in your document. Thanks. Charlie From: Woodford, Nina [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, January 22, 2016 10:02 AM To: Blatner, Keith Allan Cc: Robbins, Charles T; Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike; Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance; Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby Subject: RE: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Hello Keith, Thank you for your email. I welcome a meeting between OCV and the WSU Bear Center faculty to discuss parameters. A simple response to the two primary concerns. First, video monitoring during hibernation is sufficient but daily documentation of hibernation monitoring needs to be implemented. Second, OCV staff do not need unescorted access into the bear pens and direct contact with awake bears. I fully agree that this would be a very dangerous and unacceptable situation. If a health problem is noted on video or from viewing from outside the pens then the Bear Center faculty would be contacted to assist in evaluating the animal. For your information, I have attached the revised 2016 USDA Animal Care Inspection Guide which was released for general distribution last Friday. It has updated information on USDA record keeping and training requirements in Chapter 6 and in particular pages 6-10 to 6-19. The Animal Welfare Act has not changed but the guidelines for how the inspectors conduct the inspection process have been upgraded. I propose that Dr. Clyde and I meet with the Bear Center faculty to confirm that our current record keeping and training meets the expectations in the upgraded guidelines. This may need to be in a separate meeting because of time restraints. Thank you Nina From: Blatner, Keith Allan Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2016 4:32 PM

To: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]> Cc: Blatner, Keith Allan <[email protected]>; Robbins, Charles T <[email protected]>; Nelson, Lynne <[email protected]>; Jansen, Heiko <[email protected]>; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae <[email protected]>; Dewald, Daryll B <[email protected]>; Slinker, Bryan <[email protected]>; Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Kluzik, Mike <[email protected]>; Erdman, Phyllis <[email protected]>; Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]> Subject: FW: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Nina, I greatly appreciate receiving your recent email outlining the practices and procedures at the Bear Center. I fully respect your role and responsibility as campus veterinarian in the over sight of the bear facility. You have a substantial ethical and legal responsibility to ensure that the bears are properly cared for and everyone one respects and values that role. However, in my current temporarily role as Acting Director of the Bear Center, I do have some questions about two of the requirements stated in the memo. The first of these: “Effective daily monitoring of animal health and well-being including animals in hibernation”. I have no issue with the need for daily monitoring per se, but the mechanism for implementing daily monitoring during hibernation is not spelled out. For example if video monitoring during this period is acceptable, then I have no issue to raise regarding the requirement. Conversely, if this were to involve physical observation of the bears on a daily basis, I would have substantial concerns, since such activity could endanger the health of the bears due to disturbing the hibernation process. Based on my conversions with Charlie, I believe you are willing to accept video observation of the animals. However, the next CV might not view it in the same manner. Similarly, a lawyer with no background in animal care or hibernating bears might come to very different conclusion as to what is required. Hence, I feel this requirement needs further clarification please. My second potential concern relates to the following: “The Office of the Campus Veterinarian will have unrestricted access to all animal facilities associated with the Bear Center to assess animal health, care and record-keeping. OCV will conduct frequent rounds of the facilities to verify the quality of care.” Again I have no issue with the need for monitoring by your office. However, we have had issues in the past where the CV has actually entered the pens with wild bears when the bears were not in hibernation and were not sedated. This is a very dangerous and unacceptable activity, which put the university at considerable risk to say nothing of the CV. If the issue is access to area behind the pens and related, then I have no real concerns. If it includes direct access to the bears, then I submit that considerably more detailed procedures are required. As a result of these potential concerns and possibly others, I would like to please request a meeting of Charlie, Lynne, Heiko, and myself with you and any other members of your team as you see fit to review the practices and procedures outlined in the memo. I hope that all parties will view this meeting positively as a collaborative effort to further clarify the needed procedures as a mechanism to avoid future problems. I greatly appreciate your expertise and knowledge in this area, and I am confident that this meeting will serve as the foundation for a long-term collaborative relationship between the CV and the bear center. After all, we are clearly in agreement that we want the bears to receive the best care possible, while allowing us to safely pursue the research mission of the university. Thank you for considering my request. Keith

Keith A. Blatner Professor and Program Leader for Forestry and

Interim Director Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center School of the Environment Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-2812 Tel: 509-335-4499 Fax: 509-335-7862 Email: [email protected] From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, January 15, 2016 8:48 AM To: Blatner, Keith Allan; Robbins, Charles T; Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko Cc: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike; Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance Subject: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Good morning Drs. Blatner, Robbins, Nelson and Jansen, Please see the attachment concerning procedures and record-keeping practices at the Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center. The procedures scheduled for next week are approved. Please contact me if you have any questions Nina Woodford Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

From: Charles T. Robbins <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, January 25, 2016 10:30 AM To: Johnson, Lisa; Woodford, Nina; Blatner, Keith Allan Cc: Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko Subject: RE: action: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Lisa: Works for me. Because Lynne Nelson and Heiko Jansen are copied on your email, I hope that means they are officially invited as they need to participate in this discussion. Thanks. CRobbins From: Johnson, Lisa [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, January 25, 2016 9:12 AM To: Robbins, Charles T; Woodford, Nina; Blatner, Keith Allan Cc: Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko Subject: RE: action: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Good morning, Would 1pm this Friday, the 29th work for you all? Lisa Lisa Johnson Assistant to the Dean College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences Washington State University Hulbert Hall 421 | P.O. Box 646242 | Pullman, WA 99164-6242 509-335-4561 | 509-335-1065 (f) | [email protected] cahnrs.wsu.edu

GO COUGS!!! From: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae Sent: Saturday, January 23, 2016 9:01 AM To: Robbins, Charles T <[email protected]>; Woodford, Nina <[email protected]>; Blatner, Keith Allan <[email protected]> Cc: Nelson, Lynne <[email protected]>; Jansen, Heiko <[email protected]>; Dewald, Daryll B <[email protected]>; Slinker, Bryan <[email protected]>; Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Kluzik, Mike <[email protected]>; Erdman, Phyllis <[email protected]>; Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]>; Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby <[email protected]>; Coursey, Marta <[email protected]>; Johnson, Lisa <[email protected]> Subject: action: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Importance: High Charlie, Nina and Keith,

I appreciate the thoughtful comments that you have exchanged below. At this point, it would be best for us to have face to face meeting to address issues and concerns. I would like to attend this meeting to facilitate discussion, and to represent the college’s perspective on this situation. I also want to reiterate that my expectation is that all CAHNRS faculty are in 100% compliance with federal and university policies concerning animal health and well-being in every situation where animals are involved in research. Please join me in moving forward into a constructive conversation with that thought in mind. Lisa Johnson will assist with arranging this meeting. Respectfully, Kim Dr. Kim Kidwell, Professor Acting Dean College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences Washington State University PO Box 646243 Pullman, WA 99164-6242 Phone: 509-335-3590 email: [email protected] From: Charles T. Robbins [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, January 22, 2016 10:38 AM To: Woodford, Nina; Blatner, Keith Allan Cc: Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike; Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance; Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby Subject: RE: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Nina/Keith: I would still like to have the meeting Keith proposes to discuss the issues both he and you identified, and ultimately develop the wording for the ideas that you indicate below that will be added to your earlier document. There is at least one other issue in your document that I would like to discuss further. That issue is, “Animal acquisition and breeding must have prior review and approval from the Office of the Campus Veterinarian.” I think that point needs to be fleshed out far better than just that broad statement, and as Keith points out, my concern is well into the future when other CVs are hired. If we have a CV come in who views the Bear Program as nothing more than a zoo, has strong feelings against euthanizing bears, and research is viewed as a secondary purpose of the Bear Center as occurs in zoos, the research program and outside research funding from natural resource agencies will come to an end as we move into geriatric bear care. Frankly, 2/3’s of the research that my group has done over the years could not have

been done if breeding and euthanasia for research purposes were severely curtailed. So, I would like to have a meeting to thoroughly discuss all of the issues in your document. Thanks. Charlie From: Woodford, Nina [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, January 22, 2016 10:02 AM To: Blatner, Keith Allan Cc: Robbins, Charles T; Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike; Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance; Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby Subject: RE: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Hello Keith, Thank you for your email. I welcome a meeting between OCV and the WSU Bear Center faculty to discuss parameters. A simple response to the two primary concerns. First, video monitoring during hibernation is sufficient but daily documentation of hibernation monitoring needs to be implemented. Second, OCV staff do not need unescorted access into the bear pens and direct contact with awake bears. I fully agree that this would be a very dangerous and unacceptable situation. If a health problem is noted on video or from viewing from outside the pens then the Bear Center faculty would be contacted to assist in evaluating the animal. For your information, I have attached the revised 2016 USDA Animal Care Inspection Guide which was released for general distribution last Friday. It has updated information on USDA record keeping and training requirements in Chapter 6 and in particular pages 6-10 to 6-19. The Animal Welfare Act has not changed but the guidelines for how the inspectors conduct the inspection process have been upgraded. I propose that Dr. Clyde and I meet with the Bear Center faculty to confirm that our current record keeping and training meets the expectations in the upgraded guidelines. This may need to be in a separate meeting because of time restraints. Thank you Nina From: Blatner, Keith Allan Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2016 4:32 PM To: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]> Cc: Blatner, Keith Allan <[email protected]>; Robbins, Charles T <[email protected]>; Nelson, Lynne <[email protected]>; Jansen, Heiko <[email protected]>; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae <[email protected]>; Dewald, Daryll B <[email protected]>; Slinker, Bryan <[email protected]>; Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Kluzik, Mike <[email protected]>; Erdman, Phyllis <[email protected]>; Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]> Subject: FW: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Nina, I greatly appreciate receiving your recent email outlining the practices and procedures at the Bear Center. I fully respect your role and responsibility as campus veterinarian in the over sight of the bear facility. You have a substantial ethical and legal responsibility to ensure that the bears are properly cared for and everyone one respects and values that role.

However, in my current temporarily role as Acting Director of the Bear Center, I do have some questions about two of the requirements stated in the memo. The first of these: “Effective daily monitoring of animal health and well-being including animals in hibernation”. I have no issue with the need for daily monitoring per se, but the mechanism for implementing daily monitoring during hibernation is not spelled out. For example if video monitoring during this period is acceptable, then I have no issue to raise regarding the requirement. Conversely, if this were to involve physical observation of the bears on a daily basis, I would have substantial concerns, since such activity could endanger the health of the bears due to disturbing the hibernation process. Based on my conversions with Charlie, I believe you are willing to accept video observation of the animals. However, the next CV might not view it in the same manner. Similarly, a lawyer with no background in animal care or hibernating bears might come to very different conclusion as to what is required. Hence, I feel this requirement needs further clarification please. My second potential concern relates to the following: “The Office of the Campus Veterinarian will have unrestricted access to all animal facilities associated with the Bear Center to assess animal health, care and record-keeping. OCV will conduct frequent rounds of the facilities to verify the quality of care.” Again I have no issue with the need for monitoring by your office. However, we have had issues in the past where the CV has actually entered the pens with wild bears when the bears were not in hibernation and were not sedated. This is a very dangerous and unacceptable activity, which put the university at considerable risk to say nothing of the CV. If the issue is access to area behind the pens and related, then I have no real concerns. If it includes direct access to the bears, then I submit that considerably more detailed procedures are required. As a result of these potential concerns and possibly others, I would like to please request a meeting of Charlie, Lynne, Heiko, and myself with you and any other members of your team as you see fit to review the practices and procedures outlined in the memo. I hope that all parties will view this meeting positively as a collaborative effort to further clarify the needed procedures as a mechanism to avoid future problems. I greatly appreciate your expertise and knowledge in this area, and I am confident that this meeting will serve as the foundation for a long-term collaborative relationship between the CV and the bear center. After all, we are clearly in agreement that we want the bears to receive the best care possible, while allowing us to safely pursue the research mission of the university. Thank you for considering my request. Keith Keith A. Blatner Professor and Program Leader for Forestry and

Interim Director Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center School of the Environment Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-2812 Tel: 509-335-4499 Fax: 509-335-7862 Email: [email protected] From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, January 15, 2016 8:48 AM To: Blatner, Keith Allan; Robbins, Charles T; Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko

Cc: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike; Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance Subject: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Good morning Drs. Blatner, Robbins, Nelson and Jansen, Please see the attachment concerning procedures and record-keeping practices at the Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center. The procedures scheduled for next week are approved. Please contact me if you have any questions Nina Woodford Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

From: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae Sent: Monday, January 25, 2016 5:52 PM To: Blatner, Keith Allan; Robbins, Charles T; Woodford, Nina Cc: Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike;

Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance; Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby; Coursey, Marta; Johnson, Lisa Subject: RE: action: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Keith, At this point, my preference is to have a face to face discussion concerning this matter. Let’s please continue this discussion in person. Thank you for the clarification. Sincerely, Kim From: Blatner, Keith Allan Sent: Monday, January 25, 2016 11:14 AM To: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Robbins, Charles T; Woodford, Nina Cc: Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike; Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance; Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby; Coursey, Marta; Johnson, Lisa Subject: RE: action: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Kim Thank you for agree to arrange and chair the meeting I requested in my email last week concerning the operations of the bear facility. Let me assure you that everyone associated with the bear research program wants to be in full compliance federal policies concerning animal health and wellbeing. We are simply seeking additional clarity. So as to avoid any potential confusion, please note that I drafted the original email at Ron Mittelhammer ‘s prompting after discussing my concerns with him. In addition, he reviewed my draft email and approved it prior to my sending it out. Keith Keith A. Blatner Professor and Program Leader for Forestry School of the Environment Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-2812 Tel: 509-335-4499 Fax: 509-335-7862 Email: [email protected] From: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae Sent: Saturday, January 23, 2016 9:01 AM To: Robbins, Charles T; Woodford, Nina; Blatner, Keith Allan Cc: Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike; Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan,

Terrance; Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby; Coursey, Marta; Johnson, Lisa Subject: action: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Importance: High Charlie, Nina and Keith, I appreciate the thoughtful comments that you have exchanged below. At this point, it would be best for us to have face to face meeting to address issues and concerns. I would like to attend this meeting to facilitate discussion, and to represent the college’s perspective on this situation. I also want to reiterate that my expectation is that all CAHNRS faculty are in 100% compliance with federal and university policies concerning animal health and well-being in every situation where animals are involved in research. Please join me in moving forward into a constructive conversation with that thought in mind. Lisa Johnson will assist with arranging this meeting. Respectfully, Kim Dr. Kim Kidwell, Professor Acting Dean College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences Washington State University PO Box 646243 Pullman, WA 99164-6242 Phone: 509-335-3590 email: [email protected] From: Charles T. Robbins [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, January 22, 2016 10:38 AM To: Woodford, Nina; Blatner, Keith Allan Cc: Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike; Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance; Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby Subject: RE: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Nina/Keith: I would still like to have the meeting Keith proposes to discuss the issues both he and you identified, and ultimately develop the wording for the ideas that you indicate below that will be added to your earlier document. There is at least one other issue in your document that I would like to discuss further. That issue is, “Animal acquisition and breeding must have prior review and approval from the Office of the Campus Veterinarian.” I think that point needs to be fleshed out far better than just that broad statement, and as Keith points out, my concern is well into the future when other CVs are hired. If we have a CV come in who views the Bear Program

as nothing more than a zoo, has strong feelings against euthanizing bears, and research is viewed as a secondary purpose of the Bear Center as occurs in zoos, the research program and outside research funding from natural resource agencies will come to an end as we move into geriatric bear care. Frankly, 2/3’s of the research that my group has done over the years could not have been done if breeding and euthanasia for research purposes were severely curtailed. So, I would like to have a meeting to thoroughly discuss all of the issues in your document. Thanks. Charlie From: Woodford, Nina [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, January 22, 2016 10:02 AM To: Blatner, Keith Allan Cc: Robbins, Charles T; Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike; Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance; Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby Subject: RE: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Hello Keith, Thank you for your email. I welcome a meeting between OCV and the WSU Bear Center faculty to discuss parameters. A simple response to the two primary concerns. First, video monitoring during hibernation is sufficient but daily documentation of hibernation monitoring needs to be implemented. Second, OCV staff do not need unescorted access into the bear pens and direct contact with awake bears. I fully agree that this would be a very dangerous and unacceptable situation. If a health problem is noted on video or from viewing from outside the pens then the Bear Center faculty would be contacted to assist in evaluating the animal. For your information, I have attached the revised 2016 USDA Animal Care Inspection Guide which was released for general distribution last Friday. It has updated information on USDA record keeping and training requirements in Chapter 6 and in particular pages 6-10 to 6-19. The Animal Welfare Act has not changed but the guidelines for how the inspectors conduct the inspection process have been upgraded. I propose that Dr. Clyde and I meet with the Bear Center faculty to confirm that our current record keeping and training meets the expectations in the upgraded guidelines. This may need to be in a separate meeting because of time restraints. Thank you Nina From: Blatner, Keith Allan Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2016 4:32 PM To: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]> Cc: Blatner, Keith Allan <[email protected]>; Robbins, Charles T <[email protected]>; Nelson, Lynne <[email protected]>; Jansen, Heiko <[email protected]>; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae <[email protected]>; Dewald, Daryll B <[email protected]>; Slinker, Bryan <[email protected]>; Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Kluzik, Mike <[email protected]>; Erdman, Phyllis <[email protected]>; Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]> Subject: FW: practices & procedures at the Bear Center

Nina, I greatly appreciate receiving your recent email outlining the practices and procedures at the Bear Center. I fully respect your role and responsibility as campus veterinarian in the over sight of the bear facility. You have a substantial ethical and legal responsibility to ensure that the bears are properly cared for and everyone one respects and values that role. However, in my current temporarily role as Acting Director of the Bear Center, I do have some questions about two of the requirements stated in the memo. The first of these: “Effective daily monitoring of animal health and well-being including animals in hibernation”. I have no issue with the need for daily monitoring per se, but the mechanism for implementing daily monitoring during hibernation is not spelled out. For example if video monitoring during this period is acceptable, then I have no issue to raise regarding the requirement. Conversely, if this were to involve physical observation of the bears on a daily basis, I would have substantial concerns, since such activity could endanger the health of the bears due to disturbing the hibernation process. Based on my conversions with Charlie, I believe you are willing to accept video observation of the animals. However, the next CV might not view it in the same manner. Similarly, a lawyer with no background in animal care or hibernating bears might come to very different conclusion as to what is required. Hence, I feel this requirement needs further clarification please. My second potential concern relates to the following: “The Office of the Campus Veterinarian will have unrestricted access to all animal facilities associated with the Bear Center to assess animal health, care and record-keeping. OCV will conduct frequent rounds of the facilities to verify the quality of care.” Again I have no issue with the need for monitoring by your office. However, we have had issues in the past where the CV has actually entered the pens with wild bears when the bears were not in hibernation and were not sedated. This is a very dangerous and unacceptable activity, which put the university at considerable risk to say nothing of the CV. If the issue is access to area behind the pens and related, then I have no real concerns. If it includes direct access to the bears, then I submit that considerably more detailed procedures are required. As a result of these potential concerns and possibly others, I would like to please request a meeting of Charlie, Lynne, Heiko, and myself with you and any other members of your team as you see fit to review the practices and procedures outlined in the memo. I hope that all parties will view this meeting positively as a collaborative effort to further clarify the needed procedures as a mechanism to avoid future problems. I greatly appreciate your expertise and knowledge in this area, and I am confident that this meeting will serve as the foundation for a long-term collaborative relationship between the CV and the bear center. After all, we are clearly in agreement that we want the bears to receive the best care possible, while allowing us to safely pursue the research mission of the university. Thank you for considering my request. Keith Keith A. Blatner Professor and Program Leader for Forestry and

Interim Director Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center School of the Environment Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-2812 Tel: 509-335-4499 Fax: 509-335-7862

Email: [email protected] From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, January 15, 2016 8:48 AM To: Blatner, Keith Allan; Robbins, Charles T; Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko Cc: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike; Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance Subject: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Good morning Drs. Blatner, Robbins, Nelson and Jansen, Please see the attachment concerning procedures and record-keeping practices at the Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center. The procedures scheduled for next week are approved. Please contact me if you have any questions Nina Woodford Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Monday, January 25, 2016 10:00 AM To: Johnson, Lisa; Robbins, Charles T; Blatner, Keith Allan Cc: Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko Subject: RE: action: practices & procedures at the Bear Center I can make that work Thanks Nina From: Johnson, Lisa Sent: Monday, January 25, 2016 9:12 AM To: Robbins, Charles T <[email protected]>; Woodford, Nina <[email protected]>; Blatner, Keith Allan <[email protected]> Cc: Nelson, Lynne <[email protected]>; Jansen, Heiko <[email protected]> Subject: RE: action: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Good morning, Would 1pm this Friday, the 29th work for you all? Lisa Lisa Johnson Assistant to the Dean College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences Washington State University Hulbert Hall 421 | P.O. Box 646242 | Pullman, WA 99164-6242 509-335-4561 | 509-335-1065 (f) | [email protected] cahnrs.wsu.edu

GO COUGS!!! From: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae Sent: Saturday, January 23, 2016 9:01 AM To: Robbins, Charles T <[email protected]>; Woodford, Nina <[email protected]>; Blatner, Keith Allan <[email protected]> Cc: Nelson, Lynne <[email protected]>; Jansen, Heiko <[email protected]>; Dewald, Daryll B <[email protected]>; Slinker, Bryan <[email protected]>; Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Kluzik, Mike <[email protected]>; Erdman, Phyllis <[email protected]>; Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]>; Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby <[email protected]>; Coursey, Marta <[email protected]>; Johnson, Lisa <[email protected]> Subject: action: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Importance: High

Charlie, Nina and Keith, I appreciate the thoughtful comments that you have exchanged below. At this point, it would be best for us to have face to face meeting to address issues and concerns. I would like to attend this meeting to facilitate discussion, and to represent the college’s perspective on this situation. I also want to reiterate that my expectation is that all CAHNRS faculty are in 100% compliance with federal and university policies concerning animal health and well-being in every situation where animals are involved in research. Please join me in moving forward into a constructive conversation with that thought in mind. Lisa Johnson will assist with arranging this meeting. Respectfully, Kim Dr. Kim Kidwell, Professor Acting Dean College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences Washington State University PO Box 646243 Pullman, WA 99164-6242 Phone: 509-335-3590 email: [email protected] From: Charles T. Robbins [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, January 22, 2016 10:38 AM To: Woodford, Nina; Blatner, Keith Allan Cc: Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike; Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance; Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby Subject: RE: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Nina/Keith: I would still like to have the meeting Keith proposes to discuss the issues both he and you identified, and ultimately develop the wording for the ideas that you indicate below that will be added to your earlier document. There is at least one other issue in your document that I would like to discuss further. That issue is, “Animal acquisition and breeding must have prior review and approval from the Office of the Campus Veterinarian.” I think that point needs to be fleshed out far better than just that broad statement, and as Keith points out, my concern is well into the future when other CVs are hired. If we have a CV come in who views the Bear Program as nothing more than a zoo, has strong feelings against euthanizing bears, and research is viewed as a secondary purpose of the Bear Center as occurs in zoos, the research program and outside research funding from natural resource agencies will come to an end as we move into geriatric

bear care. Frankly, 2/3’s of the research that my group has done over the years could not have been done if breeding and euthanasia for research purposes were severely curtailed. So, I would like to have a meeting to thoroughly discuss all of the issues in your document. Thanks. Charlie From: Woodford, Nina [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, January 22, 2016 10:02 AM To: Blatner, Keith Allan Cc: Robbins, Charles T; Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike; Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance; Clyde, Gaylynn Goolsby Subject: RE: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Hello Keith, Thank you for your email. I welcome a meeting between OCV and the WSU Bear Center faculty to discuss parameters. A simple response to the two primary concerns. First, video monitoring during hibernation is sufficient but daily documentation of hibernation monitoring needs to be implemented. Second, OCV staff do not need unescorted access into the bear pens and direct contact with awake bears. I fully agree that this would be a very dangerous and unacceptable situation. If a health problem is noted on video or from viewing from outside the pens then the Bear Center faculty would be contacted to assist in evaluating the animal. For your information, I have attached the revised 2016 USDA Animal Care Inspection Guide which was released for general distribution last Friday. It has updated information on USDA record keeping and training requirements in Chapter 6 and in particular pages 6-10 to 6-19. The Animal Welfare Act has not changed but the guidelines for how the inspectors conduct the inspection process have been upgraded. I propose that Dr. Clyde and I meet with the Bear Center faculty to confirm that our current record keeping and training meets the expectations in the upgraded guidelines. This may need to be in a separate meeting because of time restraints. Thank you Nina From: Blatner, Keith Allan Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2016 4:32 PM To: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]> Cc: Blatner, Keith Allan <[email protected]>; Robbins, Charles T <[email protected]>; Nelson, Lynne <[email protected]>; Jansen, Heiko <[email protected]>; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae <[email protected]>; Dewald, Daryll B <[email protected]>; Slinker, Bryan <[email protected]>; Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Kluzik, Mike <[email protected]>; Erdman, Phyllis <[email protected]>; Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]> Subject: FW: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Nina,

I greatly appreciate receiving your recent email outlining the practices and procedures at the Bear Center. I fully respect your role and responsibility as campus veterinarian in the over sight of the bear facility. You have a substantial ethical and legal responsibility to ensure that the bears are properly cared for and everyone one respects and values that role. However, in my current temporarily role as Acting Director of the Bear Center, I do have some questions about two of the requirements stated in the memo. The first of these: “Effective daily monitoring of animal health and well-being including animals in hibernation”. I have no issue with the need for daily monitoring per se, but the mechanism for implementing daily monitoring during hibernation is not spelled out. For example if video monitoring during this period is acceptable, then I have no issue to raise regarding the requirement. Conversely, if this were to involve physical observation of the bears on a daily basis, I would have substantial concerns, since such activity could endanger the health of the bears due to disturbing the hibernation process. Based on my conversions with Charlie, I believe you are willing to accept video observation of the animals. However, the next CV might not view it in the same manner. Similarly, a lawyer with no background in animal care or hibernating bears might come to very different conclusion as to what is required. Hence, I feel this requirement needs further clarification please. My second potential concern relates to the following: “The Office of the Campus Veterinarian will have unrestricted access to all animal facilities associated with the Bear Center to assess animal health, care and record-keeping. OCV will conduct frequent rounds of the facilities to verify the quality of care.” Again I have no issue with the need for monitoring by your office. However, we have had issues in the past where the CV has actually entered the pens with wild bears when the bears were not in hibernation and were not sedated. This is a very dangerous and unacceptable activity, which put the university at considerable risk to say nothing of the CV. If the issue is access to area behind the pens and related, then I have no real concerns. If it includes direct access to the bears, then I submit that considerably more detailed procedures are required. As a result of these potential concerns and possibly others, I would like to please request a meeting of Charlie, Lynne, Heiko, and myself with you and any other members of your team as you see fit to review the practices and procedures outlined in the memo. I hope that all parties will view this meeting positively as a collaborative effort to further clarify the needed procedures as a mechanism to avoid future problems. I greatly appreciate your expertise and knowledge in this area, and I am confident that this meeting will serve as the foundation for a long-term collaborative relationship between the CV and the bear center. After all, we are clearly in agreement that we want the bears to receive the best care possible, while allowing us to safely pursue the research mission of the university. Thank you for considering my request. Keith Keith A. Blatner Professor and Program Leader for Forestry and

Interim Director Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center School of the Environment Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-2812 Tel: 509-335-4499 Fax: 509-335-7862 Email: [email protected]

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, January 15, 2016 8:48 AM To: Blatner, Keith Allan; Robbins, Charles T; Nelson, Lynne; Jansen, Heiko Cc: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Dewald, Daryll B; Slinker, Bryan; Keane, Christopher; Kluzik, Mike; Erdman, Phyllis; Ryan, Terrance Subject: practices & procedures at the Bear Center Good morning Drs. Blatner, Robbins, Nelson and Jansen, Please see the attachment concerning procedures and record-keeping practices at the Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center. The procedures scheduled for next week are approved. Please contact me if you have any questions Nina Woodford Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]

From: Peterson, Kristina A Sent: Monday, March 07, 2016 3:54 PM To: Keane, Chris; Woodford, Nina; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Kerr, Colleen Elizabeth; Gardner, John C;


Cc: Austin, Erica Weintraub; Mittelhammer, R C Subject: RE: Agenda/Handouts: Discussion/Coordination of Anticipated Research Program Report

(Teleconference) Attachments: keane_bear_statement_7mar16.docx Greetings, Please find attached Dr. Keane’s draft statement. Warmly, Kristina Kristina Peterson-Wilson | Executive Assistant Office of the Provost & Executive Vice President | Washington State University French Administration Building 436 | PO Box 641046 | Pullman WA 99164-1046 (509) 335-8915 | [email protected]

From: Peterson, Kristina A Sent: Monday, March 07, 2016 1:19 PM To: Keane, Chris; Woodford, Nina; Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae; Kerr, Colleen Elizabeth; Gardner, John C; Strenge, Robert L; Coursey, Marta; Slinker, Bryan; DeWald, Daryll B; Ryan, Terrance; Lockard, Laura; Varner, Lynne K; Yang, Olivia Owyong; Powell, Charlie Cc: Austin, Erica Weintraub; Mittelhammer, R C Subject: Agenda/Handouts: Discussion/Coordination of Anticipated Research Program Report (Teleconference) Greetings, On behalf of Provost Erica Austin, please find below the agenda for today’s (March 7) Discussion/Coordination of Anticipated Research Program Report Teleconference. This teleconference is scheduled for 4:00 PM (Pacific). Agenda (Please note, the approval for all processes listed below will be confirmed with President Bernardo)

Update on status of the investigation report Update on findings and actions so far (e.g. accreditation letter) Internal communication plan

o Deans

When and how they communicate with colleges Content of that communication Point of contact for handling external queries and stakeholders

Timing, content, mode o Senior Leadership

When and how they are informed Content of that communication Protocol for external queries and stakeholders (i.e. To whom should they refer

questions) Timing, content, mode

o Plan for other internal communication Role of the President Criteria for broader internal communication, specifically post 3-8

Timing, content, modes following from those criteria o External communication

Confirm Kim and Chris roles, follow up from training Chris Keane’s draft statement President’s role, with specific reference to requests from media Social media plan

Just on VPR page? Just via FB? (Keane question re Twitter) Content for BC page Elements of media kit – what is for internal reference and what is for external

distribution Agreed plan for stakeholder communication post 3-8, what is criteria? (– we will

probably need daily check-in) Other?

Also attached are the latest documents pertaining to the Bear Research Center. As a gentle reminder, Pullman participants are welcome to join the meeting in Lighty 403. If you are attending by phone, please call (509) 335-4700. When prompted, enter the meeting ID 4444. Warm regards, Kristina Kristina Peterson-Wilson | Executive Assistant Office of the Provost & Executive Vice President | Washington State University French Administration Building 436 | PO Box 641046 | Pullman WA 99164-1046 (509) 335-8915 | [email protected]

STATEMENT BY VPR KEANE TO ACCOMPANY RELEASE OF THE REPORT Last fall Washington State University (WSU) leadership was made aware of concerns regarding the operation of our Bear, Research, Education, and Conservation Center.

In response, the Office of Research, in consultation with the Acting-Dean of the College of Agriculture, Human, and Natural Resources, initiated a review of both the operation of the bear center and the health and well-being of our bears. As a result of that preliminary review, the Office of the Provost launched a formal investigation into the matter, which was subsequently initiated in February of this year. Today, WSU is releasing the report of the investigation conducted by the Office of the Provost.

The university’s first priority as it relates to the operation of our bear research program is to ensure we are following all recognized standards of animal practice and care. WSU has a long-standing accredited animal care and use program that has been peer reviewed by AAALAC-International (the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care) every 3 years since 1979, as well as undergoing unannounced annual reviews by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure compliance with the federally mandated Animal Welfare Act. AAALAC reviewed the WSU program last fall and informed the university full accreditation status will be granted shortly.

Following our preliminary review, both the director of the bear center and the director of the Office of the Campus Veterinarian were reassigned to other duties pending completion of the formal investigative process. Dr. Nina Woodford assumed the duties of the director of the Office of the Campus Veterinarian and Dr. Keith Blatner was appointed to oversee the bear center. In addition, oversight of the Bear Center has been strengthened, and additional operational staffing for the Bear Center is being put in place. The university is also enhancing support of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and research compliance generally as the university research program expands in scope and reach.

The university will also launch an external review of the animal care program within the next month. This review will address issues raised in both the preliminary and Provost’s reports. This review, as well as the other measures listed above, are a component of a broader effort to strengthen all oversight and compliance as we expand our research and teaching enterprises for the benefit of human and animal health, the environment, and society.

The report of the Provost’s Office formal investigation is posted online at https://research.wsu.edu/centers-institutes-labs/.

If you have any further questions regarding our animal research programs, please visit our website at http://www.iacuc.wsu.edu/default.asp.

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Sunday, November 29, 2015 11:44 AM To: Woodford, Nina Subject: RE: ASAF#4773-1 Hello, I have more comments/questions. Transport to the VTH is described under veterinary care on page 3. I Agree that transport to other sites should be included. 1. On page 2, All drugs and chemicals given to an animal must be on an approved SOP or ASAF or under the direction of a veterinarian. Ivermectin is used routinely at the bear center. Please include as part of the preventative medicine program with dose, route and indications for use or have the responsible veterinarian sign off on every treatment for every animal. Any other routine medications need to be included as well. 2. On page 2 there is a statement. "No routine vaccinations or medications are used unless deemed necessary by the Principal Investigator and LARC veterinary staff" and below for new bears- "Bears are evaluated by the PI and veterinary staff and any tests, vaccinations, worming or treatments are done at the discretion of the PI with advice/support of the veterinary staff". On page 3 under veterinary care, "treatment is done at the discretion of the PI with advice/support of the veterinarian. Minor problems are treated at the facility by the research or veterinary staff". Given those statements, The IACUC reviewers are not able to assess the quality of preventative health care, medical care and entry/quarantine procedures for bears. In addition, the wording suggests that the PI will have final decision on veterinary care. The following can be done to resolve this issue. a) Include a detailed description of preventative health measures and minor medical assessments/treatments that will be provided to the bears so that the IACUC can assess the overall medical program. An example of a minor medical SOP is WSU IACUC SOP #9. and b) Clarify that all medical treatments (preventative and minor) will be conducted under the direction of a veterinarian unless described in the approved ASAF or SOP. 3. The use of culvert traps for hibernation on page 3 needs to be removed because of the inability to adequately monitor the animals. 4. Under euthanasia on page 4, please list the dose and route of sodium pentobarbital and describe how death is confirmed. Is a secondary means of euthanasia employed as well?

From: Pru, James K Sent: Friday, November 20, 2015 7:16 PM To: Woodford, Nina Cc: IACUC; Subject: ASAF#4773-1

Nina, I have the following comment for ASAF#4773-1 (Robbins, bear care). Can you comment on the use of “outdated commercial chows” for the bears under the “Daily Care” section? Also, does a section on “transport” need to be included in this SOP for moving bears offsite?

1. Under “Preventive Medicine and Colony Health Care:”, please provide more detailed information on when “animals are sedated regularly.” Please provide an estimate here.

Let me know if you have anything else to add and I will forward comment to PI.

38

Jim James K. Pru, PhD Associate Professor Department of Animal Sciences Center for Reproductive Biology VBR171, 1815 Ferdinand's Lane Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164 phone: 509-335-8913 email: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Shipping address: 100 Dairy Road VBR Building, Room 205 Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-7620

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, November 20, 2015 11:21 AM To: Hess, Danielle A; Keane, Christopher; Malcolm, Adam Nelson Cc: Watson, Sandy; Brown-Haas, Lisa; Foth, Alicia M Subject: RE: Attorney client confidential

Kim Kidwell Acting Dean From: Hess, Danielle A Sent: Friday, November 20, 2015 11:11 AM To: Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Woodford, Nina <[email protected]>; Malcolm, Adam Nelson <[email protected]> Cc: Watson, Sandy <[email protected]>; Brown-Haas, Lisa <[email protected]>; Foth, Alicia M <[email protected]> Subject: RE: Attorney client confidential


4

4

From: Keane, Christopher Sent: Friday, November 20, 2015 9:57 AM To: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]>; Malcolm, Adam Nelson <[email protected]>; Hess, Danielle A <[email protected]> Cc: Watson, Sandy <[email protected]>; Brown-Haas, Lisa <[email protected]>; Foth, Alicia M <[email protected]> Subject: Attorney client confidential All:

Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research Professor of Physics Washington State University French Administration 422 P.O. Box 646525, Pullman, WA 99164-6525 509-335-3574 (W) 509-335-5515 (fax)

04

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, November 20, 2015 10:43 AM To: Hess, Danielle A Cc: Keane, Christopher; Watson, Sandy Subject: RE: Attorney-Client Communication Confidential Hello Danielle,

4

4

in

er

t

From: Hess, Danielle A Sent: Friday, November 20, 2015 9:30 AM To: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]> Cc: Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Watson, Sandy <[email protected]> Subject: RE: Attorney-Client Communication Confidential ATTORNEY-CLIENT COMMUNICATION CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVLEGED Nina,

Danielle


From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Friday, November 20, 2015 9:17 AM To: Hess, Danielle A <[email protected]>

4

4

Cc: Keane, Christopher <[email protected]>; Watson, Sandy <[email protected]> Subject: Attorney-Client Communication Confidential Hello Danielle,

Nina

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4

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Wednesday, December 23, 2015 9:16 AM To: Woodford, Nina Subject: RE: attorney-client confidential Attachments: Hello Terry,

Nina

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 2015 11:29 AM To: Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]> Subject: RE: attorney-client confidential Hello

Nina From: Ryan, Terrance Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2015 8:53 AM To: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]> Cc: Keane, Christopher <[email protected]> Subject: RE: attorney-client confidential Nina, From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Wednesday, December 09, 2015 1:10 PM To: Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]> Cc: Keane, Christopher <[email protected]> Subject: attorney-client confidential Hello Terry

4

4

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4


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From: Ryan, Terrance Sent: Wednesday, December 23, 2015 10:02 AM To: Woodford, Nina Subject: RE: attorney-client confidential Hi Nina,

Terry ________________________________________ From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Wednesday, December 23, 2015 9:17 AM To: Ryan, Terrance Subject: FW: attorney-client confidential Hello Terry,

Nina From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 2015 11:29 AM To: Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> Subject: RE: attorney-client confidential Hello

Nina From: Ryan, Terrance Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2015 8:53 AM

4

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To: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> Cc: Keane, Christopher <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> Subject: RE: attorney-client confidential Nina, From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Wednesday, December 09, 2015 1:10 PM To: Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> Cc: Keane, Christopher <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> Subject: attorney-client confidential Hello Terry

Nina Nina L. Woodford, DVM, MPH, DACLAM Laboratory Animal Veterinarian /Assistant Professor Office of the Campus Veterinarian Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-1165 (Tel.) 509-335-6246 (Fax) 509-335-3162 [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>

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From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Wednesday, November 25, 2015 9:11 AM To: Hess, Danielle A; Keane, Christopher Subject: RE: Attorney-Client Confidential - information requested Hello Danielle and Chris

Nina From: Hess, Danielle A Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 4:47 PM To: Keane, Christopher <[email protected]> Cc: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]> Subject: Re: Attorney-Client Confidential - information requested

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From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Wednesday, November 25, 2015 10:11 AM To: Keane, Christopher; Hess, Danielle A Subject: RE: Attorney-Client Confidential - Hello Chris,

Nina From: Keane, Christopher Sent: Wednesday, November 25, 2015 9:38 AM To: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]>; Hess, Danielle A <[email protected]> Subject: RE: Attorney-Client Confidential - Hello Nina:

Chris Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research Professor of Physics Washington State University French Administration 422 P.O. Box 646525, Pullman, WA 99164-6525 509-335-3574 (W) 509-335-5515 (fax) From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Wednesday, November 25, 2015 9:11 AM To: Hess, Danielle A <[email protected]>; Keane, Christopher <[email protected]> Subject: RE: Attorney-Client Confidential - Hello Danielle and Chris

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Nina From: Hess, Danielle A Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 4:47 PM To: Keane, Christopher <[email protected]> Cc: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]> Subject: Re: Attorney-Client Confidential - information requested

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From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Wednesday, December 23, 2015 9:16 AM To: Woodford, Nina Subject: RE: attorney-client confidential Attachments: Hello Terry,

Nina

From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 2015 11:29 AM To: Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]> Subject: Hello

Nina From: Ryan, Terrance Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2015 8:53 AM To: Woodford, Nina <[email protected]> Cc: Keane, Christopher <[email protected]> Subject: RE: attorney-client confidential Nina, From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Wednesday, December 09, 2015 1:10 PM To: Ryan, Terrance <[email protected]> Cc: Keane, Christopher <[email protected]> Subject: attorney-client confidential Hello Terry

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From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2016 8:21 PM To: Keane, Chris Cc: Kluzik, Mike Subject: RE: BC Documents for Final Approval Attachments: CAHNRS Q&A nw.docx; Center Fact Sheet 3-7-16 nw.docx; Internal Briefing_Mar4 2016 nw.docx;

KidwellProvostReportTalkPts_3 4 16.docx Hello Chris, I made minor edits to the attached 4 documents. I did not see any issues with the remaining documents. I can attend the 11 am meeting thanks Nina

From: Keane, Chris Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2016 2:39 PM To: Kluzik, Mike; Woodford, Nina; Watson, Sandy Subject: FW: BC Documents for Final Approval

Hi Mike/Nina: FYI.. from last Friday’s conf. call. Will discuss further when we talk later today (Mike- I just spoke to Nina). Key events: Mon. 11AM Kim/Chris Prep for Tuesday media Tues. 7:30 AM Provost report released Tues. 8-2 PM Stakeholder notification Tues 2PM Press event (Kim, Chris, others) I think you should plan to attend the 11 AM prep tomorrow. Sandy will send you the time/location. Also- IMPORTANT: I will send you both edited versions of the above documents later tonight to review. Pls. edit them tonight- I need them for an early morning conference call tomorrow. Thanks Chris Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research Professor of Physics Washington State University French Administration 422 P.O. Box 646525, Pullman, WA 99164-6525 509-335-3574 (W) 509-335-5515 (fax)

From: Peterson, Kristina A Sent: Friday, March 4, 2016 5:20 PM To: Keane, Chris <[email protected]> Cc: Watson, Sandy <[email protected]> Subject: FW: BC Documents for Final Approval Importance: High Dear Dr. Keane, Please find attached the most recent version of the handouts from today’s (March 4) meeting. Warmly, Kristina Kristina Peterson-Wilson | Executive Assistant Office of the Provost & Executive Vice President | Washington State University French Administration Building 436 | PO Box 641046 | Pullman WA 99164-1046 (509) 335-8915 | [email protected]

From: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae Sent: Friday, March 04, 2016 1:56 PM To: Austin, Erica Weintraub Cc: Mittelhammer, R C; Kerr, Colleen Elizabeth; Marta Coursey; Strenge, Robert L; Lockard, Laura; Harris, Therese R; Peterson, Kristina A Subject: BC Documents for Final Approval Importance: High Erica, I am sending you what Marta and I hope are the finalized documents for the bear center issue. Please review these, and consult with others as you deem appropriate, to finalize them. Please send the finalized edited documents back to Marta in one package. We will use these to activate the plan. I assume that you and Kristina will distribute these to the appropriate parties once finalized. Please let us know if you need further assistance from us. Thank you, Kim Dr. Kim Kidwell, Professor Acting Dean College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences Washington State University

PO Box 646243 Pullman, WA 99164-6242 Phone: 509-335-3590 email: [email protected]

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that would have been killed if they hadn't found a new home at WSU. We have studied bears ever since. How many bears live at the Bear Research Center? The Bear Center generally houses between 10 and 12 bears. Why is WSU reviewing the Bear Center? Following a public request for information, WSU Vice President for Research Christopher Keane called for a preliminary review of the WSU Bear Center Program last fall. The preliminary review team commenced work in October 2015. Based on preliminary findings the university elected to execute a formal review. Who oversees the Bear Center? Dr. Nina Woodford of the Office of the Campus Veterinarian is serving as interim director of the Office of Campus Veterinarian during this period. Dr. Keith Blatner, professor in the School of the Environment, is serving as interim director of the Bear Center to oversee operations. How does the university ensure wellbeing of research animals? The wellbeing of animals under the university’s care, including the bears at the Bear Center, is the top priority of the WSU animal care program. WSU has operated a large animal research program, with more than 20,000 animals, for decades. The program has been regularly reviewed and inspected by federal and other agencies. s and has maintained continuous accreditation since 1979. WSU is has been under review by accredited by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC) since 1979. The latest review was, which conducted its latest routine visit in fall 2015. We expect receive our letter of to have ourfull accreditation continuation renewed very soon. AAALAC is a private, nonprofit organization that promotes the humane treatment of animals in science through voluntary accreditation and assessment programs.

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What agencies are responsible for animal care and use regulatory compliance? The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Animal Care Division within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers the federal Animal Welfare Act and serves as regulatory enforcement arm for the USDA (Source: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalwelfare/sa_awa/ct_awa_program_information). The USDA requires research facilities to have an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). This committee conducts facility inspections, reviews all proposed animal research, investigates complaints of inappropriate animal care and use, and is responsible for certifying the care, use, and disposal of all research animals (Source: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_welfare/2014/fsc_research_oversight.pdf). At WSU, IACUC informs the Office of Research, which is headed by Christopher Keane, Vice President for Research. Together, they are responsible for all research animals at WSU through the Office of the Campus Veterinarian. How has research at the Bear Center helped bears? Research at the Bear Center has made a number of discoveries that can help maintain a healthy population of wild bears. WSU has learned that a bear’s size, fat, and cub production are related to its food resources. Certain foods are especially important to bears; changes to ecosystems affect their availability. Researchers have learned how to understand grizzlies’ diets by analyzing a single hair, helping scientists determine if bears get enough of the right foods to eat. The painless, non-invasive technique helps determine how wild bears are recovering and if they have enough habitat to meet their food needs.

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Our research has found that human activities that disrupt foraging by bears on salmon or other important seasonal food resources could seriously harm individual bears or their populations. Bear-viewing affects both the number of bears and the age and sex ratio of bears willing to visit salmon streams while people are present. In the field of ecology, WSU research has shown that salmon-eating grizzly bears are extremely important in moving nutrients from the ocean back to the land. How has research at the Bear Center helped people? Bears’ remarkable adaptations may help solve human health concerns. Studies of how bears’ hearts naturally adapt during hibernation may benefit people or pets with heart disease. Bed-ridden patients may benefit from studies of how bears maintain muscle strength and mass during hibernation, essentially exercising while they sleep. Bears are able to acquire massive amounts of fat and yet remain completely healthy, which may shed light on human obesity-related pathologies. Why is the university fundraising for an International Bear Center? A new International Bear Center has been proposed to replace the current Bear Center on the WSU Campus. The International Bear Center would increase the space available for bears, the number of bears that could be housed, and the amount of research that could be conducted. The new center would continue to house bears that need to be removed from the wild due to human conflicts, and would also serve local and regional resource agencies by providing a temporary home for injured, orphaned, or sick bears. Initial costs are estimated at $20 million. The new center will include 18 housing units with dens, 20 acres of natural environments: two five-acre yards and one 10-acre yard, with pools. Also planned are veterinary medical facilities, a nutritional management facility, a kitchen with food storage and preparation areas, video surveillance and digital monitoring, and a conference meeting space and offices. A Board of Directors, composed of university faculty, state and federal agency biologists, and conservation and industry representatives with interest in bears, will be established to oversee and advise on all research and educational programs.

3/4/2016 12:50 PM 2

Are Yellowstone grizzlies being delisted from endangered status? The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on March 3, 2016, proposed to remove the grizzly bear in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem from the federal lists of endangered and threatened wildlife. The proposed rule is being published in the Federal Register, and public comments are being sought for 60 days. A decision will follow. The Yellowstone grizzly population rebounded from as few as 136 in 1975 to more than 700 today. Stable population numbers mean Yellowstone is at or near its carrying capacity for the bears.


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care program. Secondary talking points: The use of rResearch animals provide critical scientific information to is necessary

to provide knowledge vital to preserve and improve health and quality of life for man and animals

ensure a safe and secure food supply for the world.

WSU has operated a large animal research program (more than 20,000 animals) for decades.

Animals used in research and teaching at WSU include fish, rats, mice, bats, rabbits, chickens, pigs, sheep, goats, horses, deer, cows, reptiles and amphibians.






related procedure. Agencies and Partners The WSU Bear Center works with university and agency partners and voluntary accreditation organizations to ensure bear health and wellbeing. The university’s animal

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research program has beenis regularly reviewed and inspected by federal and otherfederal and other agencies. agencies and has maintained continuous accreditation since 1979. Involved units include:

Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC). WSU has been reviewed every 3 years since 1979. A: They AALAC conducted a site visit in spring 2015, and we anticipate that they will renew our accreditation very soon.we will receive our letter of full accreditation continuance any time

USDA: Inspectors conduct periodic annual unannounced site visits to the Bear Center. The most recent visit, in August 2015, had several minor findings corrected at the time of inspection.

WSU Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC): Reviews and approves all research activities involving bears and inspects facilities every 6 months. .



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Concerns were raised, all protocols revisited; found all are up to date and in compliance. Protocol deviations were identified and either corrected or suspended

Protocols Research activities now monitored daily by interim Campus Veterinarian, reporting to regularly to Acting Dean Kim Kidwell




March 4, 2016 11:55 a.m.

4: Resistance to changing culture

When concerns were raised, we reassigned both the Bear Center Director and the Campus Veterinarian to investigate concerns.

Bear Center is unique – we are pioneering new protocols on a routine basis For animal welfare, Campus Veterinarian is the ultimate authority and that









From: Kluzik, Mike Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2016 8:33 PM To: Woodford, Nina; Keane, Chris Subject: RE: BC Documents for Final Approval Attachments: image001.png Good Evening Chris and Nina, I'm just checking in, was out most the day. I'm available at 11:00 tomorrow, and will review these documents tonight. Mike ________________________________________ From: Woodford, Nina Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2016 8:21 PM To: Keane, Chris Cc: Kluzik, Mike Subject: RE: BC Documents for Final Approval Hello Chris, I made minor edits to the attached 4 documents. I did not see any issues with the remaining documents. I can attend the 11 am meeting thanks Nina ________________________________ From: Keane, Chris Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2016 2:39 PM To: Kluzik, Mike; Woodford, Nina; Watson, Sandy Subject: FW: BC Documents for Final Approval Hi Mike/Nina: FYI.. from last Friday’s conf. call. Will discuss further when we talk later today (Mike- I just spoke to Nina). Key events: Mon. 11AM Kim/Chris Prep for Tuesday media Tues. 7:30 AM Provost report released

Tues. 8-2 PM Stakeholder notification Tues 2PM Press event (Kim, Chris, others) I think you should plan to attend the 11 AM prep tomorrow. Sandy will send you the time/location. Also- IMPORTANT: I will send you both edited versions of the above documents later tonight to review. Pls. edit them tonight- I need them for an early morning conference call tomorrow. Thanks Chris Christopher J. Keane Vice President for Research Professor of Physics Washington State University French Administration 422 P.O. Box 646525, Pullman, WA 99164-6525 509-335-3574 (W) 509-335-5515 (fax) From: Peterson, Kristina A Sent: Friday, March 4, 2016 5:20 PM To: Keane, Chris <[email protected]> Cc: Watson, Sandy <[email protected]> Subject: FW: BC Documents for Final Approval Importance: High Dear Dr. Keane, Please find attached the most recent version of the handouts from today’s (March 4) meeting. Warmly, Kristina Kristina Peterson-Wilson | Executive Assistant Office of the Provost & Executive Vice President | Washington State University French Administration Building 436 | PO Box 641046 | Pullman WA 99164-1046 (509) 335-8915 | [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> [cid:454DE281-9760-441B-99F1-F976598CB661] From: Kidwell, Kimberlee Kae Sent: Friday, March 04, 2016 1:56 PM To: Austin, Erica Weintraub Cc: Mittelhammer, R C; Kerr, Colleen Elizabeth; Marta Coursey; Strenge, Robert L; Lockard, Laura; Harris, Therese R; Peterson, Kristina A Subject: BC Documents for Final Approval Importance: High

Erica, I am sending you what Marta and I hope are the finalized documents for the bear center issue. Please review these, and consult with others as you deem appropriate, to finalize them. Please send the finalized edited documents back to Marta in one package. We will use these to activate the plan. I assume that you and Kristina will distribute these to the appropriate parties once finalized. Please let us know if you need further assistance from us. Thank you, Kim Dr. Kim Kidwell, Professor Acting Dean College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences Washington State University PO Box 646243 Pullman, WA 99164-6242 Phone: 509-335-3590 email: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>