Bear Gets Bucket Stuck On Its Head, Then Man Risks Life to Save It

A group of local residents take matters into their own hands to save “Bucket Bear”. After months of a bucket stuck on it’s head, this bear was desperate for help.

It probably started as a quest for a quick snack but quickly became a prison for this bear. Residents of Perry Township, PA began calling the Game Commission who were unable to do anything as long as the bear appeared “healthy and mobile”. Unable to free himself, “Bucket Bear” as he became known, would wander aimlessly through private yards and into traffic. His sightings became so popular it garnered him a Facebook following Save The Bucket Bear.

What appeared to be a large jar, was quickly discovered to be an airbag off of a tractor trailer. The only way Bucket Bear was surviving was that the bottom of the cylinder was open so that he could still get just enough water and food to sustain himself. But with the wire framing of the container tight around his head and neck, time was definitely not on his side.

Bear Runs by With Bucket Stuck on Its Head, Then Man Risks Life to Save It _ everything inspirational — credit: Youtube/Dean H

That’s when a group of local good Samaritans, including Dean Hornberger and Samantha Eigenbrod who have done animal rescue in the past, decided enough was enough. It was time to catch and free Bucket Bear.

“He needs it off. Been there…two months like that!”

After more than 2 hours of searching, they finally found the young bear. With Samantha filming the encounter, what seemed like a simple task quickly became a chase! Bucket Bear obviously hadn’t been informed that this was for his own good.

The Chase Was On

After a long day, the chase finally ended in a mud pit in the woods. The wrestling match was on between Bucket Bear and volunteer rescuer, Shawn Balcita. It wasn’t long before his 300lb frame had the bear pinned. Dean was then able to use a hacksaw and pliers to remove the container from the bear’s head. But not before Shawn made sure everyone remembered how close he was to the bear’s face.

“Once we get this loose, can someone be ready to get his head away from mine?”

Not long after that, the pliers did the last of the work and the container snapped free. It took no more than a few seconds for Bucket Bear to reclaim full freedom and dart deep into the woods! The group of volunteers were overjoyed at their success.