Bear hanging around Port Coquitlam home concerns residents

A large black bear that seen wandering into backyards and even right up to at least one home in Port Coquitlam Wednesday has neighbours concerned for their safety, and for the bear's.

A woman who lives on Prairie Avenue, north of Lougheed Highway and east of the Coquitlam River, called CBC News this afternoon to report that the bear had been hanging around in her yard for hours.

She first noticed it when she accidentally walked within three feet of it, and instantly jumped back, her husband, Micheal Sonntag, said.

They called the authorities to report the potential problem bear, but said it took a while before anyone from the B.C. Conservation Officer Service showed up.

"Eventually we did get the conservation officer to come out. It took the police officers to convince him to come out," Sonntag told CBC News.

But no action was taken to relocate the bear away from the populated area.

"The conservation officer basically said as long as it wasn't bothering anybody and was leaving it alone, for us to just leave it alone. Theyalso said if they did anything, they would simply put it down," Sonntag said.

Taking matters into their own hands, the husband and wife team began diverting others around the area so they could steer clear of the bear.

"I've been making it a point to try and keep people away from this thing all afternoon, because I don't want anything to happen to this bear."

When CBC News left the scene, the bear appeared to be settling in to spend the night against the side of the house.