UPDATE – Hartford police have confirmed the black bear spotted near the city on Thursday has been safely captured and relocated to the woods.
In a Facebook post, the Hartford Police Department said Alabama State Game Wardens handled the bear’s extraction after it climbed and sat in a tree for nearly four hours.
The Hartford Police Department said Alabama State Game Wardens handled the bear’s extraction after it climbed and sat in a tree for nearly four hours.(Hartford Police Department)
Alabama State Troopers, Geneva and Hartford Animal Control and Hartford Utilities also worked alongside Hartford PD to ensure residents’ safety throughout the search.
“We would like to thank everyone involved in today’s operation for their professionalism and teamwork,” Hartford Police Department said in the post. “We’d also like to thank the community for their patience, and for the many hilarious bear memes that quickly appeared across social media.”
The Hartford Police Department said Alabama State Game Wardens handled the bear’s extraction after it climbed and sat in a tree for nearly four hours.(Hartford Police Department)
The department added a reminder that bears usually evade people and that keeping pet food, food scraps and garbage indoors helps to avoid attracting bears and other animals from residential areas.
If a bear is spotted in town, officers ask that people give it plenty of space while they notify authorities.
HARTFORD, Ala. (WTVY) – Police in Hartford are cautioning the public after a confirmed black bear sighting in the area.
The bear was seen on Thursday around Sixth Avenue and Lily Street, according to information publicly released by the Hartford Police Department.
While noting that the bear has not harmed anyone and does not appear to be aggressive at this time, police are asking that residents in the area where the animal was spotted remain inside their homes until further notice.
All city and outside residents are asked, for the safety of themselves and the bear, to keep a safe distance from the animal and to not attempt to approach or follow it.
Anyone who has spots the bear, especially near homes or other places people may be gathered, is asked to immediately contact Hartford Police at (334) 588-3369.
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