ALPINE, Calif. (AP) — A Colorado wildlife refuge that hopes to house a California black bear known as Meatball has filed a lawsuit to try and overturn a regulation that prohibits wild animals from being kept at sanctuaries.

The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Colorado recently challenged a state law that says no animal taken from the wild can be kept at a refuge.

Meatball was captured twice earlier this year after foraging for food in suburban trash cans and taking a dip in a pool in the foothills above Los Angeles. The 400-poundbear is now living in a San Diego County rescue facility.

The 5-year-old bear, given his name because he stole packaged meatballs from a refrigerator, was headed for Colorado until wildlife authorities there invoked the state regulation.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)