Family dog gets in between charging bear and young boy
A family dog pulled off an act of bravery over the weekend, leaping in between a charging bear and a young child.
Video from Jeffrey Tazzara's home security system, licensed by Storyful, shows a young boy standing in the driveway outside Tazzara's home as a black bear appears, running toward the child at a high speed.
As the boy backs away, the family's husky runs over from across the yard and can be seen chasing the bear away, circling behind the animal and placing itself in between the bear and the boy.
The bear, seemingly frightened, quickly turns away from the boy and continues running, sliding under a boat parked in the driveway.
According to Storyful, Tazzara said the footage was filmed Saturday at his home in Connecticut.
"[The dog] always puts herself in between strangers and the kids, but you always wonder in the back of your head, 'What's gonna happen if she needs to protect us?' And now we know," Tazzara told ABC New Haven affiliate WTNH.
Referencing how he would reward the family's dog, he added, "Probably a T-bone or something like that, she'll get to enjoy."
Connecticut's black bear population has been growing over the past several decades, according to the state's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, with increased sightings near residential areas.
"The mere presence of a bear does not necessitate its removal. In most cases, if left alone, the bear will make its way to a more natural habitat," the agency states, adding that "removing food attractants, such as bird feeders, reduces the chance that bears will go near homes."
The agency also offers up several tips for anyone who encounters a black bear:
- Observe it from a distance.
- Advertise your presence by shouting and waving your arms or walk slowly away.
- Never attempt to feed or attract bears.
- Report bear sightings to wildlife officials.
