Joaquin Phoenix leads call for bears “suffering” at Tennessee roadside zoo to be released to sanctuary
The twin two-year-old bears Daisy and River are currently kept in a small, concrete enclosure at the Three Bears General Store.
The two bears in the concrete enclosure. Credit: PETA
The Oscar-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix is leading a call for a roadside zoo in Tennessee to release its “suffering” bears to a sanctuary.
Phoenix, who has consistently used his platform to help speak out for animals, has now sent a public letter to Daniel DeLozier, owner of the Three Bears General Store roadside zoo in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
In his letter, Phoenix urges DeLozier to release two-year-old twin bears Daisy and River (who shares a name with the actor’s son and late brother) to a reputable sanctuary.
The bears are currently being kept in a “barren” concrete pit, where they are denied the chance to exhibit natural behaviors like hibernating, roaming, and foraging.
One of the bears. Credit: PETA
“It’s obvious that you care deeply about the people who visit your store, and I’m asking you to extend the same compassion to River and Daisy, who are currently suffering in an unnatural environment—which will likely result in illness and death,” writes Phoenix.
The roadside zoo has previously been criticized by PETA, which described the facility as a “bear’s worst nightmare” where members of the public can buy tickets to “gawk” at the animals and feed them dog biscuits.
Alongside Phoenix, the advocacy group hopes that the roadside zoo will send the bears to an accredited sanctuary so that the animals can experience a more natural way of life where they can roam across vast distances, socialize with other bears, and play, forage, and hibernate.
“Giving River and Daisy this new lease on life would be an incredible way to honor the store’s namesake, as well as your legacy,” Phoenix concluded his letter.
PETA, which has saved 80 bears from private owners, roadside zoos, and the entertainment industry since 2012, says it maintains an “open offer” to rehome the bears held at Three Bears General Store, pledging to transfer the animals from their current “dismal” enclosure to a lush, reputable sanctuary.
Despite being common across the U.S., roadside zoos are near universally condemned by animal welfare groups. These facilities typically keep a small variety of wild animals, often in unnatural conditions where they cannot exhibit normal behaviors.
According to the Animal Legal Defense Fund, these small, unaccredited zoos are able to continue their operations due to a “patchwork” of mostly lax state and federal laws, along with lax enforcement of those laws.
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