Sierra Madre Man Fights Bear To Save His Dog

LOS ANGELES, CA — A man is recovering Tuesday after he and his dog had a frightening run-in with a mamma bear and her cub in a Sierra Madre backyard. Wildlife officials tranquilized both bears, and the man suffered minor injuries after intervening in a scuffle between the bear cub and his little dog.

The incident happened in the 500 block of Hermosa Avenue at about 2 p.m. Monday, according to Sierra Madre police. According to ABC7, a 51-year-old man saw his dog go after the cub, and he attempted to intervene, but the mamma bear had the same idea. In an effort to save his dog, the homeowner kicked the bear, which then scratched the man and bit him in the back of his right knee, ABC reported.

The man and his dog are expected to make full recoveries. After he called 9-1-1, authorities arrived and tranquilized both bears and were deciding what to do with them.

Residents in the San Gabriel foothill communities are accustomed to bear sightings. However, attacks are quite rare as the black bears that populate the local mountains tend to run from humans.

Typically during the summer months, residents encounter bears venturing into the suburbs in search of water to escape the heat. They're known to take dips in pools and fountains while foraging in trash bins for a snack.

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Bear Facts, Courtesy DFG:

• It is always wise to give a bear as much room as you possibly can. If you see a bear in a residential community, leave the area and call 9-1-1.

• Bears don't want to play, they just want humans to go away.

• Gatherings of people watching the bears, smelling like humans and making noises scare the bears. Once scared, they just want to go home to the forest. You can help them by going home too.

• Bears are wild animals and unpredictable.

• Mama bears are especially protective of their cubs.

Stash Your Food and Trash

• Bears and other animals are attracted to anything edible or smelly. So, store garbage in bear-proof containers, or store garbage in your garage until pick-up.

• Keep food indoors or in airtight and odor-free containers.

• Put away picnic leftovers; clean BBQ grills.

• Keep pet food inside, and bird feeders away.

• Pick up fallen tree fruit as soon as possible, or protect fruit trees with electric fencing.

When You're Camping, You're on Their Turf

• Keep a close watch on children, and teach them what to do if they encounter a bear.

• While hiking, make noise to avoid a surprise encounter with a bear.

• Never keep food in your tent.

• Store food and toiletries in bear-proof containers or in an airtight container in the trunk of your vehicle.

• Keep a clean camp by cleaning up and storing food and garbage immediately after meals.

• Use bear-proof garbage cans whenever possible or store your garbage in a secure location with your food.

• Never approach a bear or pick up a bear cub.

• If you encounter a bear, do not run; instead, face the animal, make noise and try to appear as large as possible.

• If a bear attacks a person, immediately call 911.

• When wild animals are allowed to feed on human food and garbage, they lose their natural ways – often resulting in death for the animal.

For more inormation about how to interact - or not - with wild life, you may
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