Gallup bear is tranquilized at Ford Canyon and will be released away from the city

The McKinley County Sheriff's Office said the bear that had been roaming Gallup neighborhoods was safely tranquilized at Ford Canyon and will be released away from Gallup.

The bear will be relocated to an environment safe for both the bear and the public, the sheriff's office said. It said Gallup police, State Police, sheriff's deputies and New Mexico Wildlife responded to Ford Canyon for a report of a bear, and that New Mexico Wildlife tranquilized it.

The Gallup Police Department posted at 11:33 a.m. that Game and Fish had darted the bear and had it in custody, ending a morning in which the bear crossed the city. Police reported multiple calls of sightings near Junker Bridge at 10:15 a.m., when the bear was last seen in the area of 800 East Aztec and the bike park. At 10:27 a.m. it was running in the area of Grandview, with Game and Fish and officers on scene, and police cautioned residents there.

Police first reported the bear at approximately 1:30 a.m. on Sept. 8, 2026, near the Canyon De Chelly area within the Indian Hills subdivision. Residents reported it again at approximately 8:17 p.m. that day, wandering through backyards near Coyote Canyon Drive on Gallup's east side, and police asked people not to approach it and to keep small pets indoors.

The City of Gallup said during the search that it was working with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and Navajo Nation Fish & Wildlife, and asked Indian Hills residents to take precautions and remain vigilant. There were no reports of interactions between the bear and residents.

The precautions the city listed while the bear was at large: closely monitor family members and pets while outside; stow trash receptacles in a garage or somewhere inaccessible until pickup if possible; do not leave pet food outside, and feed pets indoors if possible; consider removing bird feeders, because bears eat seeds; clean or stow outdoor grills once they are cool, since grease and food odors can attract a bear; and hike in groups, using noise to make your presence known.

The Gallup Police Department also posted a bear-awareness flyer, which advises that ammonia can keep a bear away from trash and belongings, that double-bagging trash keeps the scent in, that an air horn can scare a bear off, that animals should be kept inside or leashed, and that anyone who meets a bear should stay calm, not run, and quietly leave the area.