Tyler Dashukewich lives in Plainville, Connecticut, with her young daughter. One day, her brother Vinnie was visiting with his dogs. While the dogs played in the yard, they noticed the animals seemed wary and skittish near the deck. When Vinnie looked under the deck, he got a big surprise! There was a bear under the porch!
Tyler and Vinnie immediately contacted the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. However, the suggestions they received seemed cruel, so they didn’t follow the recommendations. During an interview, Tyle said, “They recommended pouring hot water on it or using air horns to scare it away, but we didn’t want to bother it so we let it stay there.” What happened next is a fantastic tale you might bearly believe!
A video of the discovery was posted on TikTok and quickly went viral. They decided to let the bear stay under the porch for the winter. That was in late December 2022, and Tyler expected the bear might remain until mid to late March 2023. By January 1, 2023, they had named the bear Marty Bearnard. Marty the Bear got his own Instagram page and TikTok channel, and the family began documenting his hibernation. They installed a security camera under the deck to record Marty’s movements!
Many images show the deck with a blue tarp over it. We aren’t sure, but the family may have added the tarp to keep rain from seeping between the deck’s boards. Marty seemed very comfortable all winter and became famous as the bear under the porch. He came out of hibernation in March, with the family posting his last video on March 10, 2023.
What Happened To The Bear Under The Porch?
Marty has been spotted around the neighborhood. Mostly knocking trash cans over and making a mess. However, he seems to have found a different spot to hibernate this year. Apparently, he now has a son, who is also into mischief.
The family had another wildlife visitor, a squirrel stealing a clamp. We haven’t seen any updates on his antics, but he may return later.
We hope you enjoyed exploring Marty the Bear’s world. After gaining internet notoriety as the bear under the porch, Marty seems to have moved on in favor of different, less public, pastimes.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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