Don’t let May’s cool weather and snow showers fool you: It’s springtime in the Vail Valley, and the bears have left their dens.

Some West Vail residents know this all too well. There were three bear sightings in the neighborhood last week. A bear managed to bust into two allegedly “wildlife resistant” trash cans, proving that those of us who live in bear country can’t always rely on contraptions to keep bears from wandering into our neighborhoods.

Wildlife officials urge residents to feed their pets inside, make sure birdfeeders are hung in a place bears can’t get to and to clean outdoor grills thoroughly after they are used.

Vail started requiring residents to use bear-proof containers last summer, and the decline in bear break-ins makes officials believe the law worked. Meanwhile, communities with similar bear laws — like Aspen — had several bear and human encounters. All told, the Division of Wildlife killed 35 problem bears in the region last summer.

Now residents in unincorporated Eagle County and Avon must start using bear-proof trash cans, too. Vail’s success is largely due to its residents, who followed the law and did their part to make sure bears (and humans) are safe. Residents in the rest of the county should follow Vail’s lead.

One of the greatest things about living in the Vail Valley is that we can peacefully co-exist with wildlife. Let’s make sure that never changes.