Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe ALPINE, Calif., Sept. 13 (UPI) -- The California woman who made Meatball the bear a national celebrity said she has raised $3,000 toward a permanent home for the animal. Sarah Aujero, who started the Glen Bearian Twitter persona to help save Meatball, a bear captured while wandering the streets of Glendale, said her Operation Meatball fundraising campaign has raised $3,000 through sales of T-shirts, buttons and tote bags bearing a cartoon likeness of the 400-pound black bear, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday. Advertisement Aujero said she was allowed to visit Meatball Sept. 6 at the Lions, Tigers & Bears sanctuary in Alpine and the bear burped in her direction. "I had to double-check and ask if that was a growl or a burp, and it was confirmed to be a burp," Aujero said. The sanctuary said it is planning a permanent habitat for the bear, who currently resides in a 15-by-20-foot cage, complete with a waterfall, hammocks, trees and caves. Read More Bear overnights in Boulder, Colo., tree Black bear killed inside Montana home Man awakes from dream to find bear Gunshots ward off bear Game wardens fret LA bear's celeb status