Pigeon Forge To Buy Bear Proof Trash Dumpsters

Earlier this year, the City of Gatlinburg announced they were placing bear proof dumpsters across the city to help reduce human and bear encounters, by helping secure trash within the city limits. Earlier this week, the Pigeon Forge City Council voted to approve the purchase of these bear proof dumpsters as well. The City of Pigeon Forge says they will then sell the dumpsters to those businesses that would like to have one. Pigeon Forge officials say they will sell those at the same amount they paid for them, which is $1,474 each. Last month, the Tennessee Wildlife Rescources Agency announced they would be offering $250,000 in grants to help local governments, communities and businesses purchase bear-resistant garbage receptacles.

2024 has seen a record number of human and bear encounters, with numerous bears having to be euthanized because of those encounters. Most times that humans and bears come into contact with each other, is when bears come out of their natural surroundings in search of food, mainly from trash cans that are not properly secured.