TORONTO -- Talk about an unbearable ending.

Toronto police confirmed Friday evening that what was thought to be two severed human hands found among the trash at a North York garbage facility turned out to be bear paws.

A police cruiser stood guard at the entrance to the city-run Dufferin Transfer Station all Friday afternoon as both employees and people wanting to dispose of refuse were turned away.

According to Sgt. Alan Hobbins of 32 Division, an employee at the dump saw what he thought were two human hands -- one, then the other -- go by among pieces of garbage on a conveyor belt.

It was the second suspicious, “meat-like” item that the employee was able to grab hold of, and investigators found the first among the trash a short time later, Hobbins said.

The items were moved to the Centre for Forensic Science for examination, and Hobbins confirmed later they turned out to be the severed paws of a bear.

“Over the years, we’ve had numerous calls about animal parts (found in the garbage),” Hobbins said. “I guess because of the whole body parts (case), it generated some steam.”

It was in mid-August that various body parts of 41-year-old holistic spa owner Guang Hua Liu began popping up in various spots around the GTA. Liu’s torso, head, hands, calves, a thigh and an arm are among the parts that have been found since then.

Chun Qi Jiang, 40, who had been in a four-year relationship with Liu, was arrested and charged with her murder. He made a court appearance earlier this month.

terry.davidson@sunmedia.ca