Black bear spotted in Cottage Grove neighborhood

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Cottage Grove Minnesota Public Safety said it has received reports of a black bear sighting in the 9400 Block of Jeffrey. (Credit: Cottage Grove Minnesota Public Safety Facebook post) (Facebook)

COTTAGE GROVE, Minn. (FOX 9) - A black bear was spotted roaming around in a Cottage Grove neighborhood on Friday. 

Black bear sighting in Cottage Grove

The backstory:

The Cottage Grove Public Safety Department said it received a couple of reports about a black bear sighting in the 9400 block of Jeffery Avenue on Friday, according to a social media post. 

Officials posted a photo of a bear on Facebook telling residents not to approach or interact with the animal if it's spotted. 

"Bears typically move along on their own, and we expect it will return to a more natural area soon," said Cottage Grove Public Safety in the post. 

Authorities are also asking neighbors to keep a close eye on children and pets until the bear leaves the area.

Safety around bears 

What you can do:

The Minnesota DNR says black bears are rarely aggressive and attacks are uncommon, but residents should still take precautions.

Officials say to never approach or feed bears, and secure your garbage, bird feeders and grills. If you do come upon a bear in the woods, never run away, just slowly back up and wait for the bear to leave. Residents should also keep children close and pets leashed. 

You can also report the sighting to the Minnesota DNR.