Keeping Meatball the bear safe in his Alpine home.

By Mary O’KEEFE

It’s hard to believe that it has been eight years since the Crescenta Valley/Glendale black bear, known affectionately as Meatball, has been in his new home at Lions, Tigers & Bears big cat and exotic animal rescue in Alpine, California.

Though Meatball has been happy in his new Alpine bear resort COVID-19 has affected the sanctuary, as it has many businesses.

“It’s been really hard. We had to cancel our biggest fundraising gala,” said Bobbi Brink, founder and director of Lions, Tigers & Bears.

The facility has also lost funds from canceling its educational outreach and events like its RV [recreational vehicle] and Halloween spooky camps. There are 65 animals of 17 different species at Lions, Tigers & Bears. Meatball and his bear friends Blossom, Dahlia, Mattie, Liberty and Sugar Bear require a lot of funding for food alone.

“Meatball still loves the water, raw nuts, avocados and salmon,” Brink said.

To celebrate Meatball’s eight years at Lions, Tigers & Bears, and to help provide enriching daily care for Meatball and his friends, those at the facility are reaching out to raise $8,000 for the animals’ support. The funds will also be used to build a cinderblock house for Meatball.

Meatball made his way into the hearts, garages and backyards of Glendale and CV residents in 2012. The love-fest began when this black bear was reported to have eaten meatballs out of a freezer in a garage in the Far North Glendale area. While residents of the foothill communities are used to seeing bears, bobcats, coyotes and all kinds of wildlife in backyards sharing the neighborhood Meatball became a media and social media darling in part because of his desire for meatballs and because he seemed to love this area as much as the residents who live here.

In the past, bears would be sighted and either herded by law enforcement back to his/her home in the Angeles National Forest or on other occasions when s/he was not willing to follow instructions and head back to the forest s/he would be tranquilized and transported back, never to be heard from again. Meatball though took every advantage of the local area. He did not quietly stroll through neighborhoods at night to eat out of garbage cans; instead he would visit homes, swim in residents’ pools (he loves water sports), snack on avocados that he would pluck from trees, then stretch, scratch and entertain neighbors as he strolled down the street apparently not in fear of any human … and that is a problem. Bears are still wild and if people forget it tragic outcomes can arise.

Meatball continued to be captured and tranquilized by California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, and returned to his forest home but then, a few weeks later, he would be seen walking down Foothill Boulevard. He traveled from the Glenwood Oaks area to north and south of Foothill Boulevard from Ocean View Boulevard to Dunsmore Avenue. His world really knew no boundaries.

The first time Meatball was captured he was red tagged with a random number that happened to be 210, which of course added to his legacy.

He returned several times and each time residents and even people from out of the area would travel to see “their” bear. People needed to be reminded that every bear, even one that has “Yogi Bear” qualities, is still wildlife and should be respected as a wild animal. Those at the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife were concerned that his repeated visits to the area would not end well for Meatball and knew that something had to be done. So for Meatball’s next visit an enticing meal of McDonald’s hamburgers was prepared for him at a home on Ocean View Boulevard he had been consistently visiting.

At first Meatball’s fate was to be sent to a facility is Colorado. This information did not sit well with residents; this was a California bear and he should remain a California bear. That’s when fate, once again, stepped in. Meatball was awaiting transfer to Colorado at Bobbi Brink’s Lions, Tigers & Bears. 

“The Colorado law changed,” said Andrew Hughan at the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife in an interview with CVW in 2012. Meatball did not fall into the category of a “captive animal,” which would have been required by law to move him to Colorado.

Though at the time the Alpine facility was not equipped for long-term stays Meatball was kept there where he was safe. Then Bobbi Brink, founder and director of Lions Tigers & Bears, decided to create a bear habitat so Meatball could stay put and stop traveling. The local community and Brink’s supporters helped raise the funds to build that better bear habitat and Meatball found his last and true home.

To support Lions, Tigers & Bears and Meatball go to www.lionstigersandbears.org and click “Donate” or call (619) 659-8078.

  Mary Okeefe