Kelly Ann Walz and her husband, Michael, were known for their love of animals and their dedication to providing a home for various wild and rare creatures. Their luxurious residence in a hilltop location near Allentown, Pennsylvania, housed a collection of exotic animals, including an African lion, a cougar, a jaguar, a tiger, a leopard, two servals, and their cherished bear named Teddy.
Tragedy struck in October 2009 when Kelly was found dead inside Teddy’s cage, near the bear’s lifeless body. The couple had raised Teddy from a cub to adulthood over nine years. Kelly had a specially constructed 15-by-15-foot cage made of steel and concrete, which was being cleaned on the day of the fatal attack by Teddy. This incident was not the first time they had experienced issues with the bear’s behavior.
Despite their efforts to safely manage the animals by diverting their attention with food in another part of the cage during cleaning, the fatal attack occurred. A neighbor, Scott Castone, recounted how Kelly’s screams for help were heard as the bear attacked her in front of his children. Tragically, Kelly did not survive the attack.
In a bid to protect the community, Castone intervened by shooting the bear, resulting in its death. Authorities, including Tim Conway from the Pennsylvania Game Commission, suggested that more precautions could have been taken, such as having a two-section cage to isolate the animals during cleaning.
Michael Walz, identified as the president of World of Reptiles Inc. in state records, operated the business from their home. The company, established in 1988, was intertwined with their shared passion for exotic animals.