Avon Lawmakers To Talk Bears: When And Where?

AVON, CT — Avon's spring season of the bear — where bear sightings, attacks and break-ins have been reported all through town — has attracted the attention of state lawmakers.

State Rep. Eleni Kavros DeGraw, D-Avon, and state Rep. Tammy Exum, D-West Hartford, are hosting a forum in Avon Thursday evening to address the problem.

Called "Bear Aware: A Conversation on Safety," Thursday's event is from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Avon Free Public Library, 281 Country Club Road, Avon.

It will also feature representatives from the state Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, who will brief guests on what they can do to stay safe.

The forum is free and open to the community.

Bears have always been a part of springtime in Connecticut, as they wake up from winter hibernation to stretch out their legs, have families and dine on whatever they can find.

But this year, for whatever reason, they've been visible in more residential areas, being shown jumping on trampolines, breaking into homes, opening car doors and, simply, causing mayhem and menace in residential neighborhoods.

And while Avon has had a particularly active bear season this spring, the furry mammal sightings aren't limited to just Avon, with many towns in inland Connecticut reporting regular sightings of the sharp-clawed, big-tooth creatures.

Perhaps the scariest encounter happened April 21 in Avon, when an elderly woman simply out walking her dog was attacked by a bear and bitten.

Thankfully, she was OK and, despite having to go to the hospital, her injuries were minor.

But Connecticut has been on bear alert all spring and there are things folks can do, according to DEEP, to keep them at bay, including putting trash cans in garages (if possible), not having bird feeders and, simply, being alert and carrying a "bear horn" to scare them off.

From May 2: 'Bear Breaks Into Avon Home: Report'