Bear Attacks Woman in Oregon Backyard; Dog Helps Save Her

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A bear attacked a woman in her backyard in Medford, police in the Southern Oregon city said.

The approximately 200-pound bear appeared at about 8:40 p.m. Monday and “rushed” at the woman, leaving her with wounds to an arm and a leg, Medford officials reported. The woman’s dog “intervened” and also suffered injuries, but the dog and the woman managed to run off the bear.

The bear fled into a nearby road, where it was struck by a vehicle, police said. The animal disappeared into the woods.



Oregon State Police troopers and Oregon Fish and Wildlife officers searched for the bear but didn’t find it.

About 30,000 black bears live in Oregon, according to the Fish and Wildlife Department, which says on its website that they’re “fast and agile ... [but] not usually active predators.”

The agency recommends that if a person encounters a bear it’s best to make loud noise and back away slowly, but do not run. Bear attacks are rare – bears typically avoid humans – but if an attack occurs, the agency says, the person should fight back.