A wildlife photographer based in Whistler, British Columbia was shocked and saddened when a woman and her dog approached a young black bear even after being warned. Natalie Wannamaker was taking photographs in the area when she warned the woman to avoid a small black bear that was foraging a few feet away on a popular walking trail.
Wannamaker told CTV News it made her very sad to see the dog walker ignore her warning. She said the woman’s actions endangered not only herself but her dog, the bear and other people in the area. Wannamaker says the dog walker forced an encounter that wasn’t necessary. Thankfully, the bear was eating berries and was curious not aggressive. The bear simply sniffed the dog before walking away.
Wannamaker is sharing the encounter to warn others to respect wildlife and take the necessary bear safety precautions.
The website Bearwise recommends the following tips when out walking your dog in bear country:
Keep your dog on a non-retractable leash at all times.
Carry bear spray and know how to use it.
Stay alert; music and phones are distracting.
Avoid walking at dawn, dusk or at night in areas with known bear activity.
If you see a bear, turn around and leave.
Don’t let your dog bark at, harass, chase, or corner a bear.
If your dog gets into a fight with a bear, don’t try to rescue it. You will get injured. Instead, use your bear spray.
Dog Rescue Shelter in Serbia received an early morning call with video from a woman who told them that she heard puppies in the bushes by the side of the road. So Milan, the rescue’s founder, went out to the spot and spotted an area with thick branches in the bushes. He saw a pair…
When Jack the Yorkshire Terrier arrived at National Mill Dog Rescue (NMDR) he was a “very sick little boy.” The dog was undernourished, weighing just 2.2 pounds. He had been stepped on by a husky at breeding facility, an accident that caused paralysis in his back legs. “His broken little body had taken nearly as…
This French Bulldog has her favorite cuddle spot and it’s right by grandma’s side! But you better not move her away or she’ll move right back to her spot, tucked cozily under grandma’s arm. Dogs often seek out grandma’s attention , perhaps because grandmas spoil their grand-fur kids as much as their grandchildren. This dog…
Craig Alaburda and his wife Morgan Rosenberg were puzzled as to how their Alaskan Klee Kai, Akira, kept on managing to get through their tall baby gate and escaping from the kitchen. After her doing this for several days in a row they decided to set up a hidden camera. That’s when they discovered that…
First it was an emaciated Matlock curled in a ball and fighting for his life. Then it was a pregnant Mudder pushed out of an SUV in the rain. And now it’s an injured Kathy Bates. Three dogs rescued from the same park in three weeks. Stray Rescue of St. Louis received a call after…
A Boxer named Hannibal was not impressed when his family returned from a holiday after “ditching” him at a doggy motel. The recent guest at the doggy motel, Dogswoods Canine Play and Stay, was caught on camera reacting to his family’s return and let’s just say his look says it all. When they returned, Hannibal…
