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North Carolina man faces down bear to rescue his dog

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Published in Cats & Dogs News

(UPI) A North Carolina man used a walking stick to protect his dog from a hungry bear that aimed to make a meal out of the Yorkshire terrier.

John Koerber, 67, of Beechwood Lakes, on the outskirts of Hendersonville in Henderson County, said Chewbacca, aka ChewB, woke him up for a bathroom break recently at 4 a.m., about an hour before the yorkie's usual potty time.

Koerber harnessed ChewB on a retractable leash and took him out into the darkness to do his business.

Koerber told the Hendersonville Times-News he noticed ChewB do a "startled head turn to the woods," followed by the sound of an incredibly deep-throated roar of sorts.

The bear suddenly appeared and lunged for the dog, Koerber said.

He said he quickly yanked ChewB back toward him and set about warding the bear off with a walking stick.

The bear blocked the duo's path back to the door, and ChewB found his courage and lunged toward the bear, which responded by reaching out its claws toward the canine.

 

"The bear made one more lunge to him, and I let out the deeps howl of, 'No,' and smacked him on his head one more time. And he backed up enough, so I went in the door and shut it," Koerber told WLOS-TV.

The man and his dog managed to avoid any injuries from the experience.

"It was a hair-raising experience, trust me," Koerber said. Little Chewbster, he means the world to us. He's a good little guy.

Koerber said he has encountered bears outside before, but all of the previous sightings ended peacefully.

"I would say to a bear, 'Hey, keep your distance please,'" Koerber said. We are friends and don't intend to hurt anyone. Leave us alone.

Koerber said he and his wife sought advice from animal protection group Protect Asheville Bears, which advised him to carry an airhorn and bear spray for any future encounters.


Copyright 2023 by United Press International

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