DENVER (KDVR) — A distressed bear cub was stuck in a dumpster when a Douglas County Sheriff’s deputy came to its rescue.

Deputy Lee Jazombek worked with Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers to come up with a plan to help get the bear out, without causing harm to the animal or putting the public in danger, according to a DCSO news release.

DCSO released body camera footage of the July 15 rescue. In the video, you can hear the bear roaring for help, to which the deputy responds, “I know! You’re so cute!”

“We both heard the noise and I couldn’t believe the fact that that was coming out of such a small cub,” Jazombek said in an interview. “He or she must have been anywhere between 30 to maybe 40 pounds max.”

Jazombek and CPW officers used a nearby chain-link fence to create a bridge for the bear to climb to safety.

The bear continued roaring, and the deputy said, “We gave you a way out, buddy.”

A bear cub is stuck at the bottom of a large blue dumpster.
A distressed bear cub was stuck in a dumpster when a deputy from Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and an officer from Colorado Parks and Wildlife came to its rescue. (Douglas County Sheriff’s Office)

They drove away and watched the bear climb up and out to safety, then it ran straight to its mother in the trees nearby.

“The mom must have said, ‘Come on over,’ and it ran back over to its mom and they reunited and went off together,” Jazombek said. “When it comes to wildlife, I have a real soft spot for that.”

Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly said, “Our deputies never know what kind of calls they will respond to. I am so proud of Deputy Jazombek’s compassion and ingenuity in caring for this bear cub and the people in the area.”

DSCO reminds residents that trash and dumpsters attract bears, so they should bring trash cans inside once their trash has been picked up.