Trash bears

It’s spring time again and the trash bears are tearing up unsecured or broken cans in zone 2 again.

Black bears are awesome omnivores but when they eat trash they become bold, pushy, and destructive.  They become lazy at the berry game and troll trash cans instead.  Problem bears (15 last year) were killed cuz they just couldn’t break that trash habit.

Vail requires bear-proof trash cans, and fines for unsecured trash. Vail does not provide any assistance for the replacement cost of damaged cans.

If you own a home in Vail you can afford a bear proof trash can.

If you rent, or if you’re a property manager - asking the owner to replace a damaged trash can isn’t always in your best interest. Particularly in the spring and fall when bears are most active, in a housing crises, when leases are getting renewed.

Good bear cans are $300-$350.  Unsecured trash tickets are $75 first offense, $150 second offense.

Compliance should be cheaper than the penalty. Double the fines- and let’s subsidize the repair/replacement of damaged bear cans.

• Direct staff to work out a trade in program with AceHardware or the Waste management service providers.

• Have code enforcement hang vouchers on damaged cans and tickets on unsecured ones.

The Town of Vail isn’t shy about spending money to protect wildlife.  If you already have a bear can but it is broken - we want it fixed before it becomes a food source for a bear.  Bear cans work if they’re working.  Let’s keep the bears out of the trash..