While staying at a cabin in Nisswa, Minnesota, a Minneapolis woman was attacked by a black bear after letting her dog outside to go to the bathroom, leaving the woman seriously injured.
The Cass County Sheriff’s Office shared that the attack occurred around midnight on May 25, and happened after the woman, 65, heard her dog having a “confrontation with something.”
According to a press release from the department, the woman, who has not been identified, went outside to bring the dog in when she encountered the black bear.
“She was struck by the bear in the chest and arm and knocked to the ground,” the release said. “Family members heard the struggle and were able to scare the bear from the victim and yard.”
The victim was taken to a local hospital, where she received treatment for the injuries sustained to her shoulder, chest, and back.
The sheriff’s office and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources warned that campers should take caution when encountering black bears, watching from a safe distance to understand why it is there.
If a bear does not leave your area and begins to approach you, the DNR says to try and scare it away by shouting, banging pots, slamming doors, or throwing something at it, although this may not always work.
“Sometimes bears exhibit a quick burst of aggression to defend against a perceived threat. The closer you are to the bear when it becomes aware of your presence, the more likely it is to exhibit defensive behavior,” the press release said. “This behavior is intended to intimidate and scare away the threat.”
If a bear begins showing these signs of aggression, the DNR says it may be trying to warn that you are too close and it wants you to leave. If this is the case, the DNR says it’s “not the time to argue with the bear.”
For more information on how to deal with a bear encounter, visit the DNR’s website here.
As for the woman, the sheriff’s office shared that she has received treatment for her injuries and has returned home.
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