Rural hotel owner paints a message on dumpster after repeat bear raids leave neighbor's yard covered in trash

A rural Pennsylvania hotel owner is drawing attention for a creative response to bears repeatedly raiding a dumpster and leaving a nearby yard strewn with trash.

What happened?

According to WNEP, the Central Park Hotel near Jamison City, Pennsylvania, has been at the same site for more than a century. Its rural surroundings mean wildlife sightings are fairly common. The bears have been going after the dumpster behind the hotel, where garbage from the restaurant and bar is thrown away.

As WNEP reported, owner Nicole Good said, "We've had an ongoing issue for the last four years that we have owned the hotel, especially around the springtime, the bears will come in, and they will try to raid all the leftovers."

She said a neighbor encounter is what led her to paint the dumpster. "Trash had been dragged through their yard for the third or fourth time in the past two weeks, so I thought it would be a good idea to put a little message on there that I had made some attempts at bear proofing," she said.

Why does it matter?

Easy access to food often draws wildlife into human spaces. In this case, leftovers and unsecured garbage are teaching animals that staying close to people comes with rewards.

That can create serious problems for neighbors, property owners, and the animals themselves.

Once bears become accustomed to human food, they may return more often, grow bolder, and face a higher risk of being relocated or killed.

What can you do? 

Even if you don't have bears frequenting your dumpster or trash can, encounters with wild animals can happen anywhere. If you run into a bear or another dangerous predator, the best thing to do is give it space. Most animals will avoid human contact if they can and will attack only if they feel threatened. 

Keep food secure if you're camping. And if you live in bear country, it's a good idea to keep your garbage cans inside. 

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