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Chatsworth Bear Sightings Has Residents On Edge

436 views · Published 1 October 2012 · 2:14 · Indexed 23 October 2026

Channel: WTVC NewsChannel 9 · 2012 · News & Politics

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by Alyssa Spirato  Photo Courtesy of: Tonya StaffordIt's the invasion of the brown bears for the city of Chatsworth in Murray County. And knowing they're still on the loose, has many nearby residents on edge.It was a sight Sheila Roe thought she would never see, especially right in her own backyard."The bears went all the way around and up, up over the hill, and then down and over the road," says Roe.Roe's not the only one who witnessed the new visitors. When Melissa Brown heard the bears were spotted near where her 3 children play, she says she went to look for herself."We went and we actually saw them. There was a police car following them to make sure nothing was going to take place with them, you know, to kind of see where they were," says Brown.And as a recent survey done by the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency points out, many of you don't mind the scenery, as long as they don't come too close to home. Out of 400 surveyed, 72% of you supported the presence of black bears in the county. But when it comes to bears in your neighborhood, only 22% said they felt comfortable. The support dropped even further when asked about bears near your home."They are bears and they are beautiful animals. We love bears, we love going to see them in their environment, not in our environment because it's just not a safe thing," says Brown.Something Karen Bagley says hits too close to home."It is a shocker because you just don't think that you're going to have bears in town. And it is shocking," says Bagley.We're told the Georgia Department of Natural Resources has a plan to catch the momma bear and her 2 cubs with a trap. We spoke with the Chatsworth Police Department, who says the bears are usually indigenous to the area and are not likely to cause any harm.They advise everyone to keep their dog/cat food put away, garages closed, and garbage cans somewhere secure.

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