Black bear living underneath Altadena house shows no sign of budging as homeowner mulls legal action

A 550-pound black bear has been living underneath an Altadena, California, man’s home for a month despite attempts to remove it, and now the homeowner is contemplating legal action.

“I thought this would be over by now,” Ken Johnson told CBS News.

Since Thanksgiving week, Johnson has caught the bear on security camera footage roaming around his property and squeezing into the crawlspace underneath his house. Since he doesn’t have a dog, Johnson said he tried pumping barking sounds into the crawl space to try to scare off the bear, but it wouldn’t budge.

Johnson told CBS News he can hear the bear underneath his house, clawing and scratching. He said he’s worried one day the bear might possibly burst up through his living room floor.

Johnson has alerted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which set up more cameras and has tried, unsuccessfully, to lure the bear out. Several weeks ago, the department set up a trap: a large metal cage sprayed with cherry and caramel scents. A bear was found inside it on Dec. 16, but officials said it was the wrong bear.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife said it’s still committed to helping, but that it will be Johnson’s responsibility to better secure the crawlspace after the bear leaves. Johnson, meanwhile, said he is worried about possible legal implications if he takes any drastic action to remove what might be considered a protected animal from beneath his home.

“People talk about feeling humbled. This is very humbling,” Johnson said. “There’s a bear under my house, and there’s nothing I can do about it!”