Black Bear Attacks a Woman Walking Her Dog in Index, Washington
She was seriously hurt but expected to recover. Two bears, possibly a sow and cub, had been seen nearby; officers have set a trap.
A black bear attacked a woman from behind early Sunday, October 25, as she walked her leashed dog in her backyard near Index in Snohomish County, knocking her down and biting and clawing her before she got inside and called for help, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said. She was taken to a hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Two black bears had been seen in the area, a large adult and a younger bear, possibly a sow with a cub. Fish and Wildlife officers and county deputies searched with dogs but did not find the animal; a trap has been set and patrols increased. It is the second black bear attack in Washington in a week, after a wounded bear injured a woman in Pend Oreille County on October 18.
In fall, bears are fattening up for winter and are drawn to garbage, pet and livestock food, bird feeders, fruit trees and grills; the department asks people near bear country to secure them. If a bear approaches, stand tall, wave your arms and talk in a low voice, back away and do not run. Keep dogs leashed, make noise on trails and carry bear spray you know how to use.
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