People can own bears legally? That right was exposed on Sunday when rescuers saved a black bear locked in its cage during a flood in Indiana. Abandoned by its owners (who fled from the storm), the bear's 10 by 12 foot cage was filled with about four feet of water by the time conservation officers arrived, the Associated Press reported.

Reluctant to tranquilize it (presumably because they believed they wouldn't be able to carry the 500 pound animal in four feet of water or more), they opened the cage and built an "elevated platform" for which the bear to stand, according to the AP. Details are non-existent beyond that, at least according to all national news reports. Was the bear kept in his cage but made to stand on the platform? Could they let it go? Was it able to live on its own? Will the owners be charged with animal cruelty? Were they the ones that notified rescue officials of the bear's predicament?

According to the AP, the owners had the required paperwork to own a bear in the state of Indiana. They've had it since 2005, when it was "rescued."

Based on their tiny cage and willingness to abandon their pet, the negligent owners would seem to fit the Humane Society's description of typical bear owners (even if they were the ones to call wildlife officials of their trapped pet) who "fail to provide bears with their basic needs, such as spacious enclosures, opportunities to explore, dig, forage, swim, and climb, and appropriate daily and seasonal husbandry as well as environmental enrichment and veterinary care."

Described as "Intelligent, strong, and highly active," bears are "one of the most challenging species to keep in captivity," according to the Humane Society.

Various news stories over the years (including the one below featuring a man and his polar bear) have depicted bear owners and their bears existing in harmony. There's also the childhood of Tippe Degre, whose interactions with animals seemed both less friendly and more intimate. Those stories were cute. This one just seemed sad.