No bond for elderly woman who repeatedly fed bears

Deborah Bowden myfoxtampabay.com Neighbors say Mary Musselman has been feeding backyard animals as long as they can remember. "She fed the squirrels, the birds, strays and that was in the community. She's just always been that kind of soul," says neighbor Patty Palmer. That is, until Wednesday, when the 81-year retired physical education teacher was hauled to jail for feeding bears one too many times. "I just think it's so heavy handed. Way overdone. I don't think that there was much thought given to her age, her physical, her mental condition," says John Payne, who is also a neighbor. But authorities say she had been warned before. Last November, Fish and Wildlife officers had to euthanize a bear she had been feeding. A judge gave her probation, and made it clear: do it again, and go to jail. "We sympathize with her and her husband. This is a situation that deteriorated through time and it's an unfortunate outcome," says Gary Morse, Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission spokesman. to read more: myfoxtampabay.com