'It Didn't Want To Give Up.': Dog Mauled By Bear In Western Wisconsin
GLENWOOD CITY, Wis. (WCCO) – A dog in western Wisconsin is recovering from serious injuries after it was attacked by a bear Sunday evening.
It happened just before 10:30 p.m. in Glenwood City.
Doug Nelson says he let his dog out before bed and while she was outside, she was attacked by a bear.
"Once she got over there, I couldn't see her anymore and I heard this loud whimper, cry and snarling," Nelson said.
Nelson says his 5-year-old pit bull mix Carly is known to chase a deer or two behind the house, but she got more than she bargained for Sunday night.
"I could see there was a bear out there on top of her. I ran back into the house and I got my gun and I ran back out there," Nelson said.
He fired two warning shots and Carly got away, but as she ran back onto the deck the bear gave chase. When Nelson fired his gun this time, it was in self-defense.
"It still came up and still on the patio door with my wife on the other side," Nelson said. "It didn't want to give up."
But seconds later it did, running back to its cubs. Doug believes the bear thought Carly was a threat, and she paid the price for it.
"She's got a lot of bite marks on the top of her head and around her ears. Then she's got a good one on the inside of her neck," Nelson said.
The DNR says this was a case of wrong place, wrong time for both the dog and the bear. When they investigated Monday, they couldn't find any evidence the bear had been shot nor could they find the sow and her cubs in the area.
Black bears are coming out of hibernation and are looking for food. The DNR recommends bringing bird feeders, garbage cans and pet food inside until the bear moves on.
"Be careful with your children and your dogs out there. They've been hibernating, they're hungry, I'm sure that's why they're in town looking for more stuff," Nelson said.
Prior to the attack, law enforcement officials say they had received reports of a bear with cubs in the city.
Carly is expected to make a full recovery.
