The price of canine convenience

Blame this one partly on the dogs: This bear in California came in the house, ate the Chinese food on the dining room table, and took a box of dog food out to his companion who was waiting outside. But how did he get in? Through the dog door.

Sure, it's great for a dog to be able to wander in and out whenever it wants. But Justin Lee of Monrovia discovered the downside last week when he was reportedly "just like hanging out inside with my dog," and, he said "I look over and me and the bear just like lock eyes.”

News accounts reported that "Lee immediately grabbed his dog, ran upstairs and locked himself in his room. He then phoned local police, who remained on the line until police arrived," but not so immediately that he didn't snap a few photos like the one above.

Officers frightened the bears off by firing into the air, and Lee learned that he got off easy:

"We were really lucky. There was a mess but nothing was broken, not even a plate," he said. "We were told there were instances where a bear has actually ripped open a refrigerator door."

Fortunately, the family has learned their lesson:

“The police gave us a lot of good advice and one thing is, this doggy door might work in a different city, but in this area, it’s probably not a good move, so we’re keeping this door shut,” he said.