Little dog encounters black bear and lives to bark another day, says vet

A little dog took on a mamma black bear in eastern Newfoundland and came out only a little worse for wear, a veterinarian says. 

Dr. Maggie Brown-Bury, a small animal veterinarian currently working at the Community Vet Hospital in Clarenville, treated a Boston terrier this weekend for a laceration and sore muscles.

"We got a call that someone's dog had been attacked by a bear — which sounded very dramatic when we got the call," she said in an interview.

"The dog just had one small little laceration, which is not usually the situation when you hear 'bear versus dog.'"

LISTEN | Dr. Maggie Brown-Bury recalls how a little dog in Clarenville took on a black bear: 

CBC Newfoundland Morning7:35A terrier takes on a black bear - and lives to tell the tale

Black bears are making their presence known in this province this fall. Bear sightings have been reported from areas of Central and Western Newfoundland in particular. The bears, of course, are trying to eat as much as they can before they settle down for the winter. People often unwittingly attract bears by leaving food sources around for them, such as garbage and bird feeders. Last weekend near Clarenville, a bold little dog got a little too close to a mother bear and her cubs. Maggie Brown-Bury is a veterinarian in the region and spoke with CBC's Elizabeth Whitten.

The incident took place at a cabin near Clarenville. While she said there were bear droppings in the area, the dog's owners told her they hadn't seen a bear on the property in 25 years.

Brown-Bury said the owner was locking up a greenhouse when she spotted a black bear.

"There's a reason we use the term 'mama bear' to, you know, imply someone is very protective," said Brown-Bury.

Spotting the bear, she said the little dog ran toward the danger.

"They are fighters and they don't realize that they are small. And the owner was there and saw it — so she ran after her dog to scoop him up," Brown-Bury said.

A small fence prevented the dog from getting next to the bear, she said, but the bear was able to get a swipe in. Luckily, the owner was able to grab her dog and get out of there.

The next day the owner called the vet clinic where the dog was treated, she said, adding the owner had done a good job of keeping the wound clean.

"We had them in and we started him on some pain medication and antibiotics. And I expect him to be just fine," she told CBC News. "He's very, very lucky because he is a very small dog."

Unusual case

Brown-Bury said fortunately in this case, the dog will be fine despite going up against a black bear.

"Boston terriers are definitely much smaller than a bear!" she said. "But dogs don't necessarily think through their decisions. And he just sort of saw something interesting and he went towards it not knowing that, you know, there's a cub there and that's going to be a problem."

Brown-Bury said cases like this are not common, adding N.L. doesn't have a large bear population. The large animals are more reclusive and tend to stay away from people.

"But this is the time of year where they do have their cubs and they're wandering about," she warned. Bears will stand their ground if they are protecting their young, she added.

This is the first time Brown-Bury said she's treated a dog for a bear injury in her 15 years practising in N.L.

"Here on the island, it's just not something that's happening very often."

Brown-Bury advised pet owners to reconsider letting their dogs off leash if they see possible indicators a bear is nearby, like droppings.

Things like bird seed on the property could also attract bears, who are looking for food at this time of year.

CBC News asked the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture for an interview. Spokesperson Linda Skinner pointed to an advisory the department had posted on how to avoid bears in the fall.

Posted in late September, the advisory says black bear activity is higher this time of year as the animals look for food ahead of winter hibernation.

"Giving wild animals access to food creates a public safety hazard and may lead to the destruction of an animal. To avoid attracting bears to residential areas, campsites and work sites, ensure garbage is stored and disposed of properly," it said.

It also added that people should keep barbecues clean, and dispose of any fallen fruit on the ground.

"Where bears have been sighted, pet owners should keep their animals inside or under close supervision," the statement said. 

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