Despite his close relationship with Brutus, Casey says he never loses sight of the potential danger. "I am very aware that he's a grizzly bear and he could swap my head off with one whack," Casey says. "This connection you see here comes from years of experience and training, and by no means should anybody ever be this close to a grizzly bear, whether it's in the wild or in captivity."

Casey says he always respects Brutus' needs and wants. "He's truly the boss. He dictates his life. If he wants to be up here eating a sandwich, we allow him to do that. If he wants to be out in the sanctuary wrestling with his friends, swimming in his pond, we allow him to do that," Casey says. "We don't cross that line of respect, because when people do that with wild animals, that's when bad things happen."