April 22, 2015

Humane Society of Seminole County

A Seminole County community has become one of the first in Florida to outfit residents with bear-proof trash cans.

All the residents of Markham Oaks in Lake Mary are receiving bear-proof trash cans that they hope will send the bears elsewhere on their hunt for food.

Markham Oaks is the third neighborhood to adopt "bear-wise" rules and require that residents use lock-top "bear-resistant" trash cans.

The trash cans have a lock on top and are built so bears cannot lift it up, even if they knock over the trash can.

“Put your garbage inside make sure it's locked, then you shut the lid it's good to go, ” Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesperson Mike Orlando said.

Homeowners association president Kris Thorpe said he is elated because a bear ripped apart one of his expensive trash cans.

Through Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and other environmental groups, residents of the 16 homes have to pay only a $60-a-year service fee for Waste Pro to empty the garbage cans.

"These work. They work keeping people and pets safe, " Humane Society spokesperson Kate MacFall said.

Not everyone in Markham Oaks is happy about the new crash cans.

“It's not mine, I'm not going to use it, this is completely ridiculous, ” resident Katie Colpaert said.