They've identified the attack bear. She had two cubs. Some how, some way, in the dark, the poor lady who was attacked while walking her dogs must have gotten near the cubs, or between them and mom. Sadly, two other bears were trapped and euthanized just for being in the neighborhood. In true local news style, it had been reported that the euthanized bears "matched the description" of the attacking bear. Really? The victim had a specific description of the bear that attacked her in the dark? So, a couple of bears died for no good reason because they didn't catch the responsible bear fast enough and the pressure was on to rid the neighborhood of the danger, and when they did find the right bear they realized that she was a mom protecting her cubs, and let the whole family go live in peace in a secure environment.
So, that story was followed by one unconfirmed and one much more trustworthy broad daylight bear sighting much closer to home. So now, when I walk the dogs after dark, I talk to them, in a bright, cheerful voice - not constantly like a babbling idiot, but I talk. Bears don't just leap up and attack people, they do it when surprised or cornered or under threat. My moron neighbors persist in putting out trash the night before garbage day, and that makes this busy suburban neighborhood full of houses close together in a fairly well lighted area like a buffet surprise, and that brings all the bears to the yard.
So, talking to my dogs while walking them is now a policy. I'm not living in fear of a bear attack. I talk to my dogs all the time, but now I do it unselfconsciously, because my crazy dog lady habit is now a sensible way to let the large, shaggy neighbors know where I am.
4 comments:
Has there been any news about the condition of the woman who was attacked? There is a fox prowling around in my neighborhood. I saw it early one morning when I was walking, and he is pretty brazen. I'm thinking someone in the 'hood must be feeding him, and he doesn't seem to be very afraid of people. I saw him trotting up my driveway late one night, and I am keeping even closer watch over Hannah. (There is snow on the ground now, and I haven't shoveled a place for her in the backyard, so she is pretty insistent that I put her leash on her and take her outside on the driveway.) My city council passed an ordinance a couple of months ago and banned the feeding of wild animals, except for birds, in town. We are even having a problem with deer---I almost hit one with my car on a really busy street two blocks away from home.
Wow, too close to (your) home! You are dead on about the trash. Idiots. May I also suggest you put some jingly tags on the dogs leashes. Be safe.
I was going to suggest bells, but jingly tags should work just as well. (Okay, that might explain why I so often wear or carry bells. I hadn't thought of it till just now. Early Conditioning for the Win!)
Don't whistle, I've heard. The bears get curious.
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There have been no updates about the woman's condition, just that her face and head were mauled. I do hope it's not as ominous as it sounds. She was able to walk and speak after the attack, because she made it to her neighbor's house and told them she was afraid for her dogs. The dogs were found unharmed.
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