We Ontarians know the perils of sharing our urban communities with wildlife, especially the wily raccoon and coyote populations. In fact, many of us feel outsmarted in our attempts to keep the animals at bay. Because of this we may feel some empathy for the following story.
In 2019, a California tourist was vacationing in picturesque Lake Tahoe, Nevada. He had rented a condominium at the Incline Village.
While attempting to dispose of waste in a dumpster located on the condominium property, the man alleges that he was lunged at by a bear who had somehow managed to enter the latched bin. (Bears are commonly found in the area around Lake Tahoe.)
The California man’s lawsuit states that when the bear lunged towards him, the man became startled and fell, twisting his ankle. The man later required surgery to repair his Achilles tendon.
The lawsuit also states that the latch securing the dumpster was “defective and malfunctioning” as the man had to fiddle with it just prior to his close encounter with the dumpster-dwelling bear.
Furthermore, the lawsuit claims that several parties were at fault, including Waste Management of Nevada for not providing a wildlife-proof receptacle and for not repairing the faulty latch, and the management of Incline Village for not advising owners and renters of the faulty dumpster latch. The man is seeking US$15,000 as well as legal costs.
Management has yet to comment on the lawsuit and its allegations, or whether the dumpster is now bearicaded. Bear with us as we await the decision.
