Woman's hero dog comes to the rescue as she's attacked by 200-lb black bear
MEDFORD, OREGON: A wild bear attacked a woman in her backyard located in Southern Oregon City of Medford, police reported. The bear was about 150-200 pound bear "rushed" at the woman at around 8:40 pm on Monday, September 5, injuring her arm and leg.
The woman's dog attempted to stop the bear's attack and received injuries as well, both the dog and the woman were able to flee the bear, according to Medford officials. The bear ran into a neighboring road, where it was hit by a car, according to the police. Later, the enormous beast vanished into the forest.
READ MORE
SMALL BUT MIGHTY: Jack Russell terrier scares off bear attacking his owner, 61, in Vermont
Ryan McConnaughey: Apple Watch SAVED LIFE of mountain biker after crash left him paralyzed
Despite intensive searching by Oregon Fish & Wildlife officers and Oregon State Police officers, the bear could not be found, according to a report by Klamathalerts.com. Neither the woman nor the dog received any life threatening injuries. The Fish and Wildlife Department estimates that there are about 30,000 black bears in Oregon. They describe them as "fast and agile... [but] not usually active predators" on their website. According to the agency, it is preferable to make a lot of noise and step away gently from a bear, but not to flee. Although bear assaults are uncommon since they usually avoid people, the agency advises that if one does happen, the victim should fight to protect themselves.
Another bear attack made the news, but this time it was on the other side of the country, in Vermont, where a 61-year-old Susan Lee was attacked by a bear and saved by her Jack Russell terrier. Lee and her two dogs went out on a stroll in Strafford on Sunday, August 20, when she was attacked. Susan was taken to a hospital where she received treatment after the tragic incident. The wildlife agency noted that she had also sustained scratches from the incident that were "two and nine inches long," but reported she didn't sustain any life threatening injuries.
In Vermont, there are believed to be between 4,500 and 6,000 bears, and this number keeps rising. Wildlife officials visited the scene of the attack in the nick of time and came to the conclusion that the attacker was probably a mother bear with cubs. Female bears are fiercely protective of their young, thus it is quite possible that the bear attacked Lee and her two dogs because they surprised her by unexpectedly approaching, according to officials. The bear hunting season in Vermont runs from September through November, and hunters are allowed to kill one bear during that time. "Fifty years ago Vermont had less than 1,500 bears, and they were found mostly in the mountains and northeastern quarter of the state," said Mark Scott, director of wildlife, in a press statement.
