Bear Family Gets Trapped Inside Recycling Dumpster Before Animal Control Rescue

A family of bears became trapped inside a recycling dumpster before animal control officers stepped in to help the animals escape.

The video posted by the Summit County Sheriff’s Office shows a black bear standing on a metal platform beside two green dumpsters before rearing up against the railing. A brown-coated bear climbs along the slanted dumpster lid, while two bears are later seen together on the platform.

A close view inside the dumpster shows a black bear and a brown-coated bear surrounded by plastic bottles and jugs as they look toward the camera.

Animal control officers crafted a ramp to help the cubs climb out of the dumpster. In the final footage, at least three bears walk across a paved area behind a wire fence, with mountains visible in the distance.

The rescue came as bears enter hyperphagia, a seasonal period when they eat heavily to prepare for winter. Bears can search for food for up to 20 hours a day and consume as many as 20,000 calories.

Drought has reduced natural food sources and pushed bears closer to developed areas. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has logged more than 8,000 bear sightings and incidents, compared with 3,680 through August 2025.

The county’s Bear Safe Summit program offers up to $3,000 toward commercial dumpster upgrades.