Bear gone wild: Little Ricki has been freed from her roadside cage, is on the road to Colorado sanctuary

Little Ricki is on her way to Colorado.

The female black bear, recently the object of a lawsuit against Jim Mack's Ice Cream in York County, was released Monday to the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado, according to a statement issued Monday afternoon by the Animal Legal Defense Fund.

According to the ALDF, a lawsuit against James H. McDaniel Jr. of Hellam Township has been dropped in exchange for Ricki's release.

Lancaster residents Amanda Welling and Kelly Bennett joined with a Red Lion couple in the suit, arguing that the bear was suffering in the tiny enclosure that was her home for 16 years.

"I'm thrilled," Welling said Monday afternoon. "It still feels a little surreal."

The 19-year-old bear's plight drew national attention, garnering tens of thousands of signatures on at least two online petitions and gaining support from comedian Ricky Gervais.

Ricki was kept in a cage roughly 250 square feet in size, living mostly on a diet of corn and dog food.

The ALDF said veterinary experts said the bear was suffering a "slow and torturous decline in physical and mental health" in her confined surroundings.

The lawsuit accused McDaniel of violating state laws that require the humane care of wild animals. It also alleged that he posed a threat to public safety by holding a bear at the Lincoln Highway-based eatery.

McDaniel was served with papers in the suit on Dec. 30.

According to the ALDF, Ricki's new habitat will span "15 acres of rolling grassland" where she can explore, forage, bathe and play with other bears.

"She's going to be kept with bears that are near her age and are very docile -- basically the elderly bear section," Welling said. "And she'll be slowly introduced. They're not just going to throw her in."

Ricki will be given special care, the release states, to help her transition into her new environment.

"Our legal team is thrilled that Mr. McDaniel has made the ethical choice," Matthew Liebman, senior attorney for ALDF, said.

Liebman said the organization was "prepared to litigate" until the bear was free.

Welling said she, Bennett, a veterinarian and a few others were on hand when Ricki was removed from her cage early Monday morning.

The bear was a little anxious by the noise, Welling said, and was tranquilized on the veterinarian's recommendation for the move.

Ricki will be transported by trailer to Colorado, arriving early Tuesday morning, Welling noted.

"She's going to have grass. She's going to have a heated bed to sleep on in winter. She's going to have good food and great veterinary care," Welling said.

"Mr. McDaniel decided to make this very easy. He signed the papers with no objection," she added. "Part of the agreement also is that he can never again keep a wild animal in that cage."

She said she's glad the lawsuit was resolved quickly and with minimal fuss.

"I'm a little emotional today," Welling said. "I think we're all really happy."

Ricki's new neighborhood

According to its website at wildanimalsanctuary.org, the Wild Animal Sanctuary is home to nearly 100 black bears and more than 30 grizzlies that were rescued from illegal or abusive situations.

The population at the 720-acre sanctuary also includes tigers, African lions, mountain lions, leopards, bobcats and wolves.

Established in 1980, the Wild Animal Sanctuary is, according to its website, the oldest and largest nonprofit sanctuary in the United States "dedicated exclusively to rescuing captive exotic and endangered large carnivores."