Community Corner

Video: Bear Feasts on Home's Bear-Proof Trash Can Contents Friday

The large bear climbed over a 6-foot chain link fence to get to the backyard of the Altadena home.

Another bear was spotted in Altadena early Friday, when Alice Wessen saw the large creature help itself to the contents of a locked trash can in her backyard around 1:51 a.m.

See Wessen’s video of the bear feasting above.

It was not the first time bears have climbed a fence into Wessen’s yard at the 3900 block of Alzada Road but she noted that as her dogs barked from inside the house the bear charged the door a few times, which is much more aggressive behavior than she normally sees.

Find out what's happening in Altadenawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

See photos of an earlier bear appearance in which Wessen’s chihuahua chased a bear up a tree here.

Wessen called the Sheriff’s station to alert them but did not call animal control because she did not want the bear shot, she shared with Patch. 

Find out what's happening in Altadenawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Eventually the bear grabbed one of the plastic bags in the trash can and headed up to Wessen’s neighbor’s house on the road behind her house. 

See previous coverage of a sausage-seeking bear at Wessen’s neighbor’s home here.

“I am always mindful that we live in their area,” Wessen told Patch via email. “Because my house is against the hills between Fair Oaks, Chaney Trail a stream and the Angeles forest area, it is a natural place for wildlife to wander.”

Since bears have entered Wessen’s yard a few times and seem to be less deterred, Wessen shared with Patch via email what she may do going forward:

I and my immediate neighbors will likely get a large trash bin rather than have individual "bear proof" trash cans, which we call "pinatas."  The bears have learned to knock them around, against the walls of my house or the ground and pop open the cans. 

Given they are now scaling my 6 foot chain link fence and getting into my backyard, and becoming a bit more obstinate in leaving, the next step is to work with my immediate neighbors and Athen Trash to get a large metal trash bin and to really bear proof that bin, but keep it away from our houses.  

The slight inconvenience having to walk out our trash, or really clean out recyclables to remove any food residue is a small price to pay for living in the urban-wildlife interface. 

Do bears get into your bear-proof trash cans? How do you co-exist with bears?


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