A 64-year-old woman confronted a black bear “head on” and stood up as tall as she could before punching the animal in the nose after it chased her dog in Maine, officials said.
Lynn Kelly was working in her garden in Porter, Maine, Friday at about 11:30 a.m. local time when her dog started barking and ran into the woods. When Kelly went to investigate, her dog ran out of the woods and was being chased by the bear, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife said in a news release sent to USA TODAY.
“Kelly confronted the bear head on, and when the bear stood up, she stood up as tall as she could, then punched the bear in the nose,” the wildlife department said.
When Kelly hit the bear, the animal bit her right hand and punctured her wrist before immediately releasing her wrist and running back into the woods, the wildlife department said.
Kelly was taken to Memorial Hospital in North Conway by ambulance after she called 911. She was treated for puncture wounds on her wrist, the wildlife department said.
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Remove potential attractants from your yard, wildlife department said
The wildlife department said the bear had been spotted in nearby yards eating bird seeds days before the incident took place.
“The bear has not been seen since the provoked attack,” the wildlife department said. “The department has set two live-capture culvert-style traps to try and capture the bear alive.”
The wildlife department said black bears can be found throughout the state and urged residents to follow these rules to prevent attacks:
- Remove potential wildlife attractants from your yard.
- If a bear has been spotted in your area, do not wait to remove potential food sources from your yard.
- If you see a bear, keep your distance and don’t corner or agitate the bear.
- If you see a bear, turn around and leave.
- Walk your dog on a non-retractable leash.
- Do not get in between your dog and a bear.
- Turn outside lights on before letting your dog outside at night.
The wildlife department said attractants include bird feeders, bird seeds on the ground, unsecured garbage, pet food and barbecue grills.
