Bear makes a visit to a Walla Walla backyard to snack on cat food, grapes

A Walla Walla County resident got a surprise Thursday night after finding a bear in the yard.

Sheriff’s deputies were called to a home south of Walla Walla, near the corner of Kendal and Cottonwood roads, to find a bear up in a tree.

“It appears Ms. Bear couldn’t resist snacking on some tasty Walla Walla grapes and maybe a little cat food,” the Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post.

The bear eventually came down from her roost and made her way back to the Blue Mountains, the sheriff’s office said.

Sheriff’s officials advised people to be careful about leaving pet food outside because it can attract other wild animals.

Black bears are prevalent in the area, according to the Army Corps of Engineers of the Walla Walla District.

Bears may look to trash, bird feeders or pet food left out when other sources of food are scarce, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said. Normally it happens in the early spring or late in the fall.

The agency advises people who see a bear to:

• Stop and stay calm. If the bear doesn’t notice you, back away quietly when it’s not looking at you.
• If it walks toward you, stand up, wave your hands above your head and talk to the bear in a low voice.
• If you can’t safely move away, and the bear continues to advance, scare it away by clapping your hands, stomping your feet, yelling and staring the bear in the eyes.
• Don’t throw anything at it or try to run away. Bears can run up to 35 mph, and running may trigger an attack.

This story was originally published August 20, 2021 at 12:27 PM with the headline "Bear makes a visit to a Walla Walla backyard to snack on cat food, grapes."