“Beary Christmas!” shouted Ken Johnson over a photo that captures his 550‑pound house‑guest, the unruly bear he calls “Unbearable” by friends. Johnson’s holiday plans have taken a sharp turn, from canceling his customary pot‑luck party to offering guests a tongue‑in‑cheek “bring your own bear” invitation.
The grinch‑like mood he describes—no tree, no lights, no mistletoe—has left him with a bare living room and a desire for a quiet, bear‑free Christmas. Still, he’s hung stockings for himself, his feline companion Boo, and the bear, hoping Santa will drop some coal for the misbehaving creature and a toy mouse for Boo, who has been nice all year.
Johnson confessed he has one special gift for the beast: three CD players blasting dog barks and growls, soundtracks that bears generally dislike. The bear, which first appeared on Nov. 30, has been disturbing Kennedy’s nights with early‑morning awakenings and damage to the house’s underside.
“I wake up, toss and turn, wondering if something’s under my bed—last night I didn’t sleep well,” he said. He fears the ruined hardware will cost him money and jokes, “I’m waiting for the other paw to drop.”
Wildlife officials from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife have been working around the clock to remove the intruder. Their first strategy involved a scent sprayer with a cherry‑and‑caramel blend that made Johnson nauseous.
The second attempt deployed a trap baited with fried chicken, sardines, shrimp, peanut butter, and apples; it succeeded but caught an entirely different bear by accident, prompting a “big click and bang” laugh from Johnson.
The captured male black bear, 3–4 years old, was later released to a suitable nearby habitat, according to spokesman Cort Klopping. Johnson admits he won’t see CDFW staff at the office drinking eggnog this holiday season; the biologists, he says, will likely take the Christmas off.
The media flare—camera crews, news helicopters, photographers, and curious neighbors—intensified the bear’s agitation. Even the attention seems to have unnerved the animal.
Despite the chaos, Johnson’s list of holiday wishes is clear: “I want the bear to leave; it is cute, but it’s time for it to go. That would be a Christmas miracle.” He also hopes Santa will return the bear during daytime on Christmas Day so he can snap a good photo to share. “That would be a Beary Merry Christmas,” he says.
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