Police in Haverhill, Massachusetts, issued a warning Monday after a series of black bear sightings.
In a Facebook post on Monday morning, police said that they had received multiple calls of a black bear seen in the area of Windsor Street, Mill Street and the Lake Saltonstall area.
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They said anyone who sees the bear should be careful not to approach it, feed it, or stop to take photos or videos. They also asked residents to remove all outdoor bird feeders, secure chickens or small livestock and secure all garbage, pet food and livestock food. Residents are also being urged not to feed pets outside, to keep dogs on leashes and to teach children never to run from a bear.
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"Most bears will leave people alone, should you encounter a bear stand like a tree, make yourself look as large as possible and make as much noise as possible, never run from a wild animal," Haverhill police said.
Haverhill resident Lynda Brown told The Eagle-Tribune that she saw the bar in her yard on Windsor Street.
"I stepped into our four-season porch and watched it," she said. "I called police and they said they were already out looking for the bear."
Anyone with a bear-related emergency should call 911, but police said anyone with non-emergency bear inquiries can call Massachusetts Environmental Police at 800-632-8075 or MassWildlife at 978-772-2145.