Family concerned as bear continually roams their Glendale neighborhood

GLENDALE, Calif. (KABC) -- Living close to nature has provided for some unique experiences for one Glendale family, but now that a bear has become too permanent of a fixture in the neighborhood, it's raising concerns.

The Dinicola family has not been feeding the bear, who their 13-year-old daughter named Harold. The familiarity with the animal is starting to worry Anna Dinicola, who recorded Harold descending into their neighborhood.

Anna has warned her 5-year-old son, Griffin, not to go out without her.

"(The bear is) in the trees. He goes swimming in the neighbor's swimming pool," she said. "(Griffin) can't go out to our own backyard whenever he wants. I always tell him, 'Don't go outside unless you know I'm watching.'"

The sightings have been going on for about a year, but recently Anna ran into the bear on her own porch when she came home late one night. Another night, the bear greeted her teenage daughter in the driveway.

She said she called the police department who told her to call animal control who then told her to call California Fish and Wildlife. The runaround has her family up in arms.

"We don't want them to hurt the bear, but at the same time you can't have a 5-year-old playing in the backyard or a little chiweenie dog with a bear climbing the trees and walking around the backyards," Daren Dinicola said.

Recently, the Dinicola family found out about bear proof trash bins, which are pricey. A Fish and Wildlife spokesman said one good meal at a home can keep a bear coming back for many more.

"A bear will eat just about anything, but the fresher it is and the sweeter it is, the more you're just ringing the dinner bell for the bear," Andrew Hughan said.

Fish and Wildlife officials said there could be an easy fix if the Dinicolas put ammonia around the property two or three nights in a row. They should also make a lot of noise the next time the bear is around. A game warden will be out to assess the situation.