ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — DISCLAIMER: Images in this story may be disturbing to some. Viewer discretion is advised.
An Asheville woman said she’s thankful all three of her dogs are alive after they confronted a black bear in her backyard on Monday, June 9.
Sybriea Lundy, who lives on Water Road near A-B Tech, said she thinks the bear climbed a neighbor’s tree and dropped into her fenced yard from a branch.
“I had just been on the back porch,” said Lundy. “And all of a sudden—I’d been inside just briefly—and it sounded like a disaster out here. What we assumed had happened was they had gotten ahold of a groundhog.”
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Instead, her dogs were fighting with a 300-pound bear.
“When my roommate came running out to stop them from whatever they had, she came face-to-face with a bear,” Lundy said.
“It was terrifying,” said Alice Frankenberg, Lundy’s roommate. “I saw the dogs run out the dog door, and I ran out after them.”
Frankenberg said she couldn’t believe the scene. “There’s a bear right there in my face.”
She said she ran back into the house.
“I see a large bear with my dog’s face in its mouth,” said Lundy. “And he’s just dragging her up through the yard while the other dogs are following behind. King [dog], who was trying his best to fight for his best friend, had a significant puncture wound to his chest.”
The dog Lundy saw being dragged was Sadie, who sustained the most extensive injuries. Lundy said Sadie’s tongue had to be stitched back together after the bear’s teeth ripped it apart.
King chased the bear up a tree, and Lundy was able to get the dogs back in the house and get them medical care.
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“I bet the bears were surprised just as much as the dogs were,” said Ashley Hobbs, special projects biologist for the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. “It sounds really like a defensive encounter for both the bear and the dogs. Again, very common bear behavior when they’re confronted by something like a dog.”
Hobbs said bear interactions are up between dogs and bears, and bears and humans in Asheville compared to 10 years ago. She realizes many Asheville dog owners feel safe leaving their dogs in an enclosed backyard. But she said the fact is, with bears so prevalent, it’s risk to leave them unsupervised.
“Even if you have a fenced-in backyard, it’s important to go out with your dog,” Hobbs said, suggesting pets stay on a leash outdoors.
As for Lundy, she said she’s still in shock. She adores her dogs and spent $3,400 on veterinarian bills to ensure all three were cared for after the violent encounter. Knowing that a bear can get in her backyard, even with a fence around it, made her think of her children’s safety.
“They definitely won’t be out here unattended,” she said. “We’re used to sharing the land with the bears, and we’ve never had this type of issue before.”
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Hobbs said bears are a reality of living in Asheville. She said there are more cubs born to Asheville bears than in other parts of the state.
Hobbs said the availability of food from bird feeders and garbage cans makes it easier for bears to grow and populate around Asheville. N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission encourages people to review safety measures for themselves and for bears.
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