LITCHFIELD, Conn. — A man was injured defending his dog from a bear attack in Litchfield on Saturday morning.
Department of Energy and Denivorment Protection (DEEP) officials said that they responded to the report of a bear attack on a 65-year-old male in a neighborhood at 11:15 a.m.
DEEP said the bear had investigated birdfeeders on a porch and moved into the yard when a dog spotted and chased the bear. The bear attacked the dog. The homeowner intervened and was injured by the bear. The man suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a hospital, and the dog was transported to a veterinary hospital.
In the immediate aftermath of the incident, the bear went into nearby woods and was not found by officers.
Connecticut State Police Troop L also responded.
DEEP officials gave a warning to homeowners in response to the attack:
Birdfeeders should not be up from late March through November while bears are active. Birdfeeders, along with trashcans, are one of leading causes of bear conflicts and damage reports that DEEP receives across the state. Food attractants such as birdfeeders around peoples’ homes are a gateway to bears associating humans with food sources, which leads to more dangerous behaviors such as home entries, which can lead to bad outcomes for both humans and bears.
This holiday weekend, DEEP urges residents to take caution if grilling or enjoying food outside. Clean barbecue grills after use, and store grills inside a garage or shed. Don’t leave food or trash bags out unattended. Store garbage in secure, airtight containers inside a garage or other enclosed storage area.
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