Mother bear and cub wander into Hope Pharmasave as staff move customers to safety

The Story

Staff at a Pharmasave in Hope were stunned on Sunday when a mother bear and her cub wandered into the store, footage shared online showing the animals moving through aisles while workers tried to manage the situation.

The incident took place at the Hope Pharmasave, where video posted to social media captured the bears looking around inside the pharmacy. The clip shows the cub and adult bear inspecting products as staff observed and assessed how to respond.

According to employee Kara Kelso, when someone in the store yelled “bear!” she focused on getting customers to safety first. Her comments indicate staff prioritized immediate evacuation and separation rather than attempting to move the animals themselves.

Kim Glentworth, who was not working during the incident, said in an interview that the staff handled it “perfectly,” describing that the bears appeared to have come across from the street. Her account places the animals’ entry as part of a sudden, close-at-hand movement into the storefront.

Glentworth added that the bears spent time moving through sections of the pharmacy, including a stretch in the cosmetics area. Kelso also characterized the bears’ behaviour as relatively calm, suggesting they were exploring rather than acting aggressively.

Kelso said the bears wandered through the store for about five minutes, approaching the consulting desk before eventually leaving. Her description frames the episode as brief but memorable, with the animals present long enough for staff to notice and react.

She said the bears seemed peaceful and that her own response followed their demeanour. The video was later shared by Kelso on TikTok, where it had received more than 111,000 views at the time reported.

The incident underscores how quickly wildlife can enter human spaces in British Columbia when animals stray into populated areas, particularly in communities close to natural habitat. For residents and businesses, it also highlights the importance of keeping public safety as the first priority when wildlife is encountered indoors.