A Florida man walked away with a few scratches after defending his dogs from an adult black bear.
Last weekend, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission released a 38-second Ring doorbell video, which shows a Daytona Beach resident confronting the bear.
In the video, the man, who has not been identified by the FWC, can be seen on his porch with his two dogs when one starts barking at the door and then the bear appears. According to the FWC, the man thought the bear was another dog.
“Thinking the animal was another dog and not a bear, the man walked over to protect his dogs and the bear reacted,” the FWC said. “The man was able to drive the bear away by making loud noises and quickly moving a bench outside his porch door. Fortunately, the man’s injuries were not life threatening and his dogs were not injured. were not injured.
As usual, the video was shared by the FWC as a learning moment for the public. Although bear encounters are rare, the agency offered some advice:
– Do not run; running can trigger a hunting response. Slowly back away in the opposite direction and wait for the bear to leave.
– From a safe distance, make loud noises to scare the bear away.
– Give the bear a clear escape route (do not corner it).
– If the bear makes contact with you, retaliate aggressively.
– If your dog and a bear make contact, make noise and use bear spray or a garden hose to try to break them up.
If you encounter a bear, you can call the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).