A run-in with two young black bears at a Northern California sanctuary left two small rescue dogs badly hurt and widely praised for stepping in front of their caregiver.
Ashley, a chihuahua, and Bentley, a terrier mix, suffered serious injuries, but their intervention may have spared their human from a much worse outcome.
What happened?
Two juvenile American black bears entered a barn at the Karuna Animal Rescue Sanctuary in Kneeland, rummaging through grain bins, when Paula Ray, who runs the nonprofit, came across them during her late-night rounds, according to Lost Coast Outpost.
Ray told the outlet she tried to back away from the doorway but fell and injured her knee. "They were startled," Ray said. "I was startled!" Coming to Ray's aid, rescue dogs Ashley and Bentley then rushed toward the bears.
"They jumped right in between me and these two bears," Ray recalled to Lost Coast Outpost.
Ray said the bears then grabbed the barking dogs in their jaws and threw them aside before running out of the barn. Even after being hurt, both dogs got back up and chased after them.
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Bentley was later found outside, while Ashley had crawled under the pig house. Ray then took them to the Arcata Animal Hospital, where they underwent several hours of emergency treatment.
According to the Lost Coast Outpost, Ashley suffered bites to the chest and shoulder, a fractured right scapula, and nerve damage in one leg. Bentley also had bite wounds, along with a deep claw gash on his shoulder.
Now, Ray is asking the community to help cover the costs of their medical treatments, estimated at $5,000 for just one night of emergency care, which she describes as "almost as terrifying as the bears."
She added in a Facebook post that "If anyone can donate toward our brave dogs' care, any amount is appreciated, all of us at Karuna would be so grateful. This is heartbreaking, and I know if both these brave little dogs had not been there, it would be me in the hospital."
Why does it matter?
Accessible food can quickly lead to dangerous encounters involving people and pets in areas where wildlife and humans live in close proximity. Black bears are usually shy and tend to avoid people, although they can still be quite dangerous.
The incident also underscores how fast veterinary costs can mount for animal rescues. Unexpected costs of this size can be especially difficult for nonprofits already stretching limited resources to care for large numbers of animals.
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