Those who frequently find themselves on the animal side of social media may be familiar with the name Susan Kehoe. This Tennessee resident and bear education advocate shares some of the most fascinating (and shocking) moments from her life in the country, where she’s befriended a population of curious black bears.
Over the years, she’s befriended generations of docile bears, but on December 27, she shared a video of a very shocking first: a bear inside her home! The unbothered bear let himself inside while Susan napped on the living room couch, and he gave her the surprise of a lifetime when she woke up. It’s like a scene straight out of Goldilocks and the Three Bears!
What a forward bear! This confident guy was ready to make himself comfy and settle in to watch a movie, but Susan was on high alert from the moment she saw him. Even though her bear friends love to take her things, especially her doormat, she wasn’t going to let this bear thief get away with anything.
Well, that was the plan, anyway! Susan admitted to a commenter, “he left on his own after he stole something,” which proves her plan was foiled after all.
Related: Thieving Black Bear Spotted ‘Taking Out the Trash’ Outside Tennessee Home Has Jaws Dropping
“Looks like he wants to be an indoor bear, Susan,” @reverendloveforever pointed out. “It’s scary out there with the other bears.” Clearly, this curious black bear was just looking for comfort from a friend, and that’s exactly what he found in Susan’s living room.
Even so, not all commenters are thrilled for the bear whisperer and her ursine friends. @Wildman5879 commented, “This is very dangerous because the bears watch too much daytime TV and end up overweight and depressed.” Oh no!
Black Bear Safety
All jokes aside, interacting with wild animals, let alone bears, is no laughing matter. It can take mere seconds for an animal to injure a person in a panic, especially in a small, enclosed space like a house.
Fortunately, Susan is as close to a bear expert as someone can be. She has interacted with the black bears near her home for years, and she knows their behaviors inside and out. Although she didn’t mean to let a black bear into her house, the situation ended safely thanks to her calmness and expertise.
That being said, please don’t interact with wild bears! Even though black bears are much more docile and cautious around people than grizzly bears, any bear could be dangerous. Unless you’re Susan Kehoe, please give them their space!
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This story was originally published by PetHelpful on Jan 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.