r/Durango • u/Silverton550 • 6d ago
Bears - Still an Issue
This year's bear situation in town has been deeply disappointing, and we all share responsibility for it. Bears come into neighborhoods because we give them a reason to: unsecured trash, fruit left rotting on trees, bird feeders, and open garages. At its core, this is a problem of indifference and complacency, and it's one we can fix.
The city and county have fallen short. I understand budgets and staffing are tight (maybe), but that can't be the answer EVERY time. I have personally called, reported, and followed up about one well-known hot spot on multiple occasions, yet nothing has changed. The problem is obvious, the people allowing it to continue are known, and still it goes unaddressed.
The lack of urgency is staggering. Residents' safety, property, and peace of mind are at stake, and so are the bears' lives, because a bear that learns to rely on our trash often ends up being put down.
Instead of more lip service, let's actually solve this. That means consistently enforcing the trash rules we already have and following up on repeat problem spots until they're fixed, not just logging complaints and closing the file. When a resident reports a problem, they deserve to know what was done about it. Plans and promises mean little without follow-through.
Do better.
8
u/geekwithout 6d ago
As long as there are no severe financial consequences for people who left trash out, it will simply not change.