Meatball 210
ALPINE–San Diego’s most famous black bear, Meatball 210 is the star of the “Let’s Be Neighbors” 2014 Rose Parade. The float is the City of Glendale’s 100th entry into the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association’s parade that takes place on January 1.
The “Let’s Be Neighbors” themed float advocates for a neighborhood in which humans and wildlife can coexist amongst each other, using Meatball 210 as the symbolic character for this message.
Bobbi Brink, founder and director of Lions, Tigers & Bears will be in the bandstand for the 2014 Pasadena Rose Parade. Brink will be there in support of the “Let’s Be Neighbors” themed float, seeing it as a positive message that must be applied to residents living along the cusp of residential and natural lands, to coexist with one another.
The black bear was found roaming the La Canada neighborhood of Glendale throughout 2012, taking dips in neighbor’s pools, raiding trash cans and valiantly ripping the door off of a family’s garage refrigerator to munch on frozen meatballs, hence the name. Meatball 210 was relocated to the Angeles National Forest by California Department of Fish & Game twice after reappearing in the Glendale neighborhood. After a third reappearance in the neighborhood the black bear was deemed habituated. He was captured by game wardens and taken to Lions, Tigers & Bears, where he now finds a permanent safe haven in San Diego County’s only accredited big cat and exotic animal sanctuary.
Lions, Tigers & Bears has made it their mission to not only rescue unwanted exotic animals, but to provide a platform for educating the public about human-wildlife interactions and measures one can take to keep situations safe for all.
The sanctuary is currently raising funds for a new multi-acre habitat for Meatball 210 and future bears that may call the sanctuary home. The sanctuary has just $20,000 left to raise. With the help of an anonymous donor who has agreed to match every dollar donated up to $40,000, this fundraising campaign is on the home stretch.
To make donations, visit www.lionstigersandbears.org
