Bear attacks woman letting her dog out of her Vermont home, officials say
A bear attacked a woman after she let her dog outside of her home, wildlife officials in Vermont said.
Sarah Dietl, 43, let her Shih Tzu outside of her condominium in Winhall on Wednesday, Nov. 2, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department said in a news release.
Her dog chased a bear cub up a tree, then its mother charged at Dietl, wildlife officials said.
The bear knocked her to the ground and began attacking her, officials said.
Her partner heard Dietl yell for help and brought her into their home, officials said in the release.
The two tried to let their dog inside the home after the attack, and the bear charged at the door, officials said. Neither the bear nor the dog got inside the home.
Police and wildlife officials got to the home at 10:05 p.m., and Dietl was taken to a hospital, officials said.
She suffered non-life-threatening injuries to her head, hand and side, officials said.
She was released from the hospital the next day, officials said.
Wildlife officials said they could not find the bear, but they found the couple’s dog.
“Before letting pets out at night, I would urge Vermonters to light their yards and make plenty of noise to allow wildlife in the area time to move on,” game warden Kyle Isherwood said in the release.
Game wardens and biologists discovered a damaged bear-proof dumpster on the property and pumpkins that appeared to have been eaten by bears near the complex. A bird feeder had also been near the complex until mid-October, officials said.
Additionally, a bear and cubs were spotted in the area throughout the summer and in the fall, officials said.
“Bear attacks in Vermont are rare, but it is absolutely critical that Vermonters take every step to secure food sources that might attract bears into close proximity with people,” the department’s wildlife biologist and black bear project leader, Jaclyn Comeau, said in the release.
Winhall is about 150 miles northwest of Boston.
What to do if you see a bear
Bear attacks in the U.S. are rare, according to the National Park Service. Bears in most attacks are trying to defend their food, cubs or space.
There are steps people can take to help prevent a bear encounter from becoming a bear attack.
Identify yourself: Talk calmly and slowly wave your arms. This can help the bear realize you’re a human and nonthreatening.
Stay calm: Bears usually don’t want to attack; they want to be left alone. Talk slowly and with a low voice to the bear.
Don’t scream: Screaming could trigger an attack.
Pick up small children: Don’t let kids run away from the bear. It could think they’re small prey.
Hike in groups: A group is noisier and smellier, the National Park Service said. Bears like to keep their distance from groups of people.
Make yourself look big: Move to higher ground and stand tall. Don’t make any sudden movements.
Don’t drop your bag: A bag on your back can keep a bear from accessing food, and it can provide protection.
Walk away slowly: Move sideways so you appear less threatening to the bear. This also lets you keep an eye out.
Again, don’t run: Bears will chase you, just like a dog would.
Don’t climb trees: Grizzlies and black bears can also climb.
This story was originally published November 4, 2022 at 1:50 PM with the headline "Bear attacks woman letting her dog out of her Vermont home, officials say."
