Carson board addresses problem of scavenging bears

On a morning not long ago, Carson City Supervisor Molly Walt had just reached for the handle of her front door to go outside with one of her children when her phone rang. It was her neighbor, calling to tell her that a bear was on her front porch.

Close calls such as Walt's in southeast Carson City are a reminder that Northern Nevadans live in bear country and they need to do everything possible to ensure bears don't start making regular house calls.

The Board of Supervisors unanimously voted Thursday to approve the first reading of an ordinance dealing with bears.

"This proposed ordinance will put some controls on feeding bears and consequences of leaving (garbage) cans out in such a manner that bears are attracted," City Manager Larry Werner said in a report to the board.

Carson City's Director of Animal Services Pat Wiggins said the ordinance not only protects people, but bears.

"Bears that we get called out on are tagged (by the Nevada Department of Wildlife) the first time, but if it comes back more than once, it gets euthanized," he said.

Wiggins said four workshops were held to gather public input on how the community felt about the issue. One of the things that resulted was a statement of intent, which reads, "The purpose of this ordinance is to stress the importance of handling garbage in such a way that the disposal does not become an attraction for bears, creating a serious public safety issue particularly in residential neighborhoods."

Werner said residents in fringe areas such as Timberline and Lakeview also were notified door-to-door of the proposed ordinance and workshops.

If a resident leaves garbage, food or other items out that attract bears, and a complaint is received, it would result in a verbal or written warning.

A second offense within two years of the warning would require a court citation or the resident would voluntarily purchase a bear-proof garbage container, which can cost between $200 and $400, or construct one that meets city standards. A third offense within two years of the second offense would result in a court citation and possible fine of not less than $100.

He said the attractive nuisance can be thwarted simply by keeping trash receptacles locked up and placing them at the curb only near pickup time.

"If you make a few simple changes, you'll probably never have a bear problem," he said.

Walt confirmed that trash cans were the target of bears.

"What we found in our neighborhood was that the bear passed up raspberry bushes, strawberries, blackberries and four apple trees to get to our garbage," she said. "What might be fun and exciting (at first) could be very dangerous."

Werner said that the ordinance will affect only those people who don't follow common-sense guidelines.

"We want people to know we're not requiring anyone to buy bear-proof containers with this ordinance," he said.