‘This thing is digging into my house’: California man dealing with terrifying houseguest that won’t leave

A huge 550-pound bear has moved into Ken Johnson’s crawlspace in Altadena, California, and won’t leave. The massive animal has been living under Johnson’s home on North Altadena Drive for over a week now, even though Johnson has tried many times to keep it out.

According to NBC News, Johnson said that having a 550-pound creature growling and hissing under his floor is terrifying. He says he feels nervous all the time and constantly looks over his shoulder to check if the bear is coming out. His cat is also stressed because of the giant, furry roommate living below.

The bear is staying in a narrow crawlspace filled with pipes, air ducts, and dirt. Johnson says the animal is right under his kitchen, and his cat keeps sniffing around the vent because the bear is so close underneath. “I feel nervous all the time,” Johnson said. “I’m always looking over my shoulder to see if he’s coming out.”

This bear is causing major damage 

The Department of California Fish and Wildlife knows about this bear. It’s a male with an ear tag, which means officials have identified it before. Even when the bear leaves the crawlspace, it causes problems outside. Johnson says it completely destroyed his trash can. He also hears it making noise at night under the ground, and then it shows up on his security camera again.

This isn’t just annoying – it’s damaging Johnson’s home. The bear has visited his property before, but now it seems determined to stay permanently. Johnson tried putting up barriers to keep the bear out, but the animal is too strong and keeps breaking through. This wild situation joins other bizarre incidents Californians have faced recently.

Johnson showed the damage the bear caused to his fence. He explained that the brick lining weighs about 30 pounds, but the bear ripped right through it. Johnson summed up his frustration perfectly: “This thing is digging into my house, destroying property and living rent free.”

The Department of California Fish and Wildlife tells people in foothill areas to remove anything that might attract bears. This includes pet food and leftover food on grills. Cort Klopping, a spokesperson for the agency, said people should also pick up fallen fruit from trees and remove bird feeders, which can attract bears too.

The department asks people to file wildlife incident reports on its website when they see bears. They also suggest blocking access points to homes after confirming the bear has left. But Johnson has already filed reports and blocked the entrances multiple times: the bear just keeps coming back to its rent-free home. While Johnson faces this wildlife crisis, a California paramedic recently saved a child during a different kind of emergency.