A tranquil evening in Butler Township turned harrowing when a 55-year-old woman was viciously attacked by a bear while letting her dog out behind her home.
The incident, which unfolded Tuesday night, left the woman hospitalized with injuries to her arm, face, neck, and head.
Butler Township Police on the Scene of Bear Attack
Butler Township police, responding swiftly to the scene, recounted that an officer arrived promptly as the attack occurred.
According to Police Chief John Hays, there appeared to be some form of interaction between the woman’s dog and the bears, although the dog itself emerged unscathed.
Neighbor Michael Vero, shaken by the screams echoing through the neighborhood, described the ordeal as “nerve-wracking.” The unsettling incident underscored the potential dangers posed by the presence of wildlife in residential areas.
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Bear Family’s Fate: Mother Euthanized, Cubs Tranquilized for Relocation
Following the attack, authorities located the adult bear accompanied by her three yearling cubs in a nearby tree. Despite efforts to deter her aggression, the mother bear was ultimately euthanized. Pennsylvania Game Commission employees tranquilized the cubs, who will be relocated pending test results for rabies.
The presence of bears had been a growing concern in the neighborhood in the weeks leading up to the attack, as residents like Vero expressed apprehension for their safety, particularly that of their children.
“I was on edge then; now that they’re out of here, it makes me feel a little better,” Vero shared.
Nancy Godineaux, another resident in the area, recounted multiple sightings of bears in the neighborhood leading up to the incident. She noted that a neighbor’s doorbell camera had captured footage of four bears rummaging through trash cans, underscoring the urgency of addressing the wildlife intrusion in the community.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for vigilance and proactive measures to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts, particularly in regions where urban sprawl encroaches upon natural habitats. As authorities continue their investigation and residents remain vigilant, the community grapples with the aftermath of a terrifying encounter with nature’s formidable inhabitants.
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