Family dog comes face-to-face with large bear
A small dog made sure to make its presence known when it confronted a bear that broke into a California home.
A pet dog had a scary encounter with an intruding black bear who entered its home in California.
Security camera footage shared by resident Zoe Cadman shows the bear walking into what is presumably the living room through kitchen of the Monrovia home on the night of June 14.
As the bear wandered into the living room, it was confronted by Cadman’s 17-year-old dog named Doodle, according to KCAL News. The dog barked at the intruder, momentarily startling the wild animal. The bear then leaned forward to sniff the dog, who retreated but not before barking again. The bear is then seen following the dog and exploring the home after the face-off. KCAL reported Cadman even screamed in an attempt to ward off the animal but was unsuccessful.
It is not known how long the bear was in the house, how the Doodle is doing and if the house sustained any damage. Cadman did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for more information.
Watch pet dog face-off with bear at California home
Bear is a frequent visitor, neighbors say
However, a tracker is visible on the bear’s neck, indicating that it has likely been caught for breaking and entering homes before. Storyful, quoting local media reports, said neighbors had spotted a black bear roaming in the neighborhood during the day, and believe the bear in the footage to be the same.
While Cadman did not clarify how the bear managed to enter her home, a neighbor whose home was also invaded midday told KCAL the bear entered their home through a window. NBC Los Angeles reported the same bear ransacked freezers, munched on pizza and ice-cream from a kitchen and even took a dip in one swimming pool, all on the same day.
How to keep bears away from property
While black bears are found throughout much of California, they are more abundant in the North Coast and Cascade regions, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). These wild animals can be found in a variety of habitats, such as forests, grasslands, deserts and the urban-wildland interface. With human-bear conflict on the rise, wildlife agencies are advising all residents to be more “BearWise” and take “reasonable corrective measures” to avoid encounters.
Measures include securing food, garbage and any other food items that are likely to attract bears.
“If a black bear becomes habituated to humans or food-conditioned, they may become increasingly bold or destructive,” CDFW says.
The National Park Service, meanwhile, suggests keeping the following things in mind if you encounter a bear:
- Never feed bears.
- Talk in a low, steady voice and do not scream or otherwise act suddenly. Make yourself appear as large as possible.
- Do not approach bears. If you encounter a bear in your own yard, do not leave the house. Ensure everyone is secure inside before banging pots or making other loud noises to scare the bear away.
- Be extra cautious if you see cubs. Mother bears are very protective of their young. Do not approach, touch or interact with cubs.
- Travel in groups and pick up small children and pets upon sighting a bear.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
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