Bear spotted in Sebastopol trying to enter goat pen

SEBASTOPOL, Calif. -- A bear was seen trying to enter a goat pen in Sebastopol early Tuesday morning, police said.

Police were notified around 3 a.m. about a large animal trying to enter the goat pen in the area of Gravenstein Highway North and Mill Station Road in north Sebastopol.

A second caller confirmed seeing a large bear heading toward the O'Reilly Associates building along nearby Hurlbut Avenue in unincorporated Sonoma County, police said.

Police responded but did not find the bear. The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office and the state Department of Fish and Wildlife were notified of the bear sighting, police said.

A police dispatcher said there were no further sighting of the bear that morning.

There are fields and woodland in northern Sebastopol and unincorporated Sebastopol north of the city and police are informing residents there may be bears in the area.

Police recommend securing livestock-such as sheep and poultry in secure pens in the evenings, and securing garbage cans to prevent foraging by bears.