Bear sent to sanctuary after years as caged attraction at Pennsylvania ice cream shop
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A female bear is on the way to a Colorado wildlife sanctuary after nearly two decades as a caged attraction at a Pennsylvania ice cream shop.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund announced Little Ricki's release Monday, ending a legal and animal rights battle that drew worldwide attention.
The organization and four residents sued for the bear's release in December.
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They argued Ricki's concrete enclosure at Jim Mack's Ice Cream shop near York was inadequate, causing a decline in her mental and physical health.
Actor Ricky Gervais joined the fight last month, encouraging Facebook followers to sign a petition for Ricki's release.
Shop owner James McDaniel Jr. said the outcry pushed him toward letting her go.
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Ricki's new habitat at the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado, features 15 acres of grassland.