Deputies in South Lake Tahoe, California, had a bizarre early-morning encounter when they were called to a local ice cream store.
A large bear had decided it wanted service and had made its way behind the counter, wanting something sweet.
The scene on Sunday was captured in photos as the brown bear appeared to be squatted on its hindquarters, peering over the counter with a row of empty stools in the foreground.
Staff at the Ice Cream Shop at Camp Richardson nicknamed the bear “Fuzzy” according to authorities.
The animal reportedly had a strong preference for strawberry ice cream and officers were able to coax the bear out of the service area and back into the wild.
The bear caused little to no damage and cleanup was reportedly minimal.
No one was harmed, and no ice cream cones were missing, according to ABC7 KRCR.
In a Facebook post, the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office wrote: “In the early morning hours of last Sunday, August 17th, Deputies were dispatched to a call for service at the Ice Cream Shop at Camp Richardson in South Lake Tahoe.
“The deputies could barely believe their eyes as they saw a large bear behind the counter of the shop. With some encouragement, the bear ultimately left, but only after showing interest in the strawberry ice cream.
“Thankfully, Fuzzy the bear caused barely any property damage, and there was barely any cleanup.”
Last week, the National Park Service warned visitors in Great Smoky Mountains National Park not to feed bears, as it can lead to serious consequences for the animal and pose an extreme danger to visitors.
“By eating human food, bears can lose their preference for natural food sources and their fear of humans. Over time, these bears may begin approaching people in search of food. They can become aggressive, unpredictable, and dangerous,” the agency’s website explains.
“Bears looking for human food and garbage can damage property and injure people. These bears pose a risk to public safety and are often euthanized as a result.”
