Black bear attacks Washington state woman who was letting dog out for a walk, officials say

Orlando Mayorquin, USA TODAY
·2 min read
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A black bear attacked a woman in Washington state Saturday near a downtown park as she was letting her dog out of her home, officials said.

The adult female bear charged at the woman early Saturday morning in Leavenworth, Washington, leaving her hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a statement.

The property where the woman was attacked is adjacent to Enchantment Park, a park near downtown Leavenworth with ball fields and walking trails.

Two nearby parks were temporarily closed following the incident, according to the Chelan County Sheriff's Office, which was the first to respond to the scene. The sheriff's office called in state wildlife officials, who used a Karelian bear dog to track down the bear near the scene of the attack. The bear, a sow, was later euthanized. Its two nine-month old cubs were captured and taken to a wildlife rehabilitation facility, state officials said.

The attack marked the 20th bear attack that resulted in human injury since 1970, according to state wildlife officials. The only recorded human death from a black bear attack in the state happened in 1974, officials said.

A number of bear attacks have garnered attention in recent months. One town in Colorado saw two separate attacks over the span of just over a month. Earlier this month, a bird hunter in Montana scared off a grizzly who charged at with his rifle, and, last week, a college wrestler saved his teammate from an attacking grizzly bear at a state park in Wyoming.

Connecticut bear attack: 10-year-old boy attacked by black bear at grandparent's home

What should you do if you see a bear?: Don't turn and run, expert warns

Experts say you shouldn’t simply turn around and run if you see a bear. Bears are much faster than humans. Instead, it’s wise to remain calm and make yourself appear bigger so as not be confused with smaller prey.

Contributing: Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Black bear attacks Washington woman walking with dog outside home