California black bears are thriving in the Lake Tahoe Basin.
Their numbers are estimated to be in the hundreds, and they are very skilled at getting into homes and cabins, looking for food.
“I bear-proof homes for a living,” said Ryan Welch, the owner of Bear Busters. “It’s difficult to keep up with calls and the work.”
Welch designs, manufactures and installs discreet wiring around windows and doors to keep the bears out.
“It’s an electric fence energizer. It’s been used for cattle and livestock for over 100 years, and we’re just modifying this to work on people’s homes,” Welch explained. “We put these wires in key locations where we know a bear interacts with a door or a window.”
Sometimes those locations include the third floor.
“It is really simple for a bear to stand on a handrail and gain access to an upper story deck,” Welch said.
In front of sliding glass doors, Welch installed removable electric bungee cords at a strategic height.
