Susan Lazaruk, The Province
Published: Sunday, July 30, 2006

The story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears leapt off the page for the children at a Port Moody daycare centre when a young black bear ambled into their kitchen looking for some porridge.

Friday morning’s escapade was a classic crime of opportunity, police said. “The door was open, the bear went in,” said acting Sgt. Brian Morwood-Clark.

The children were escorted out through another door of the Little Star Family Daycare in the 400-block Ioco Road. No one was hurt.

The yearling helped himself to bagels and jams and made himself comfortable inside. No amount of noise from the sirens was going to budge him until he was ready, said Morwood-Clark.

The bear had earlier visited a home across the street, standing up on his hind legs to get at the hanging bird seed, destroying the feeder before nosing his way toward the ground-level sliding patio doors, said homeowner Judy Bartrim.

“My nephew chased it away with a hockey stick,” she said.

Living next to a forest, she said, she is careful to bear-proof the garbage — but wasn’t aware of the dangers of hanging a bird feeder.

After 10 minutes inside the daycare, the bear ambled off.

“He drank out of dog’s dish and headed outside and went up a tree,” said Morwood-Clark.

Conservation officers tranquilized him and he fell to the ground. Because he had become habituated to human food, he had to be killed, said conservation spokesman Don McDonald.

slazaruk@png.canwest.com
© The Vancouver Province 2006