Dog Injured in Scuffle with Bear Near Ketchum
KETCHUM, Idaho (KLIX)-A Great Pyrenees is recovering from injuries following an encounter with a black bear late last week near Ketchum. The large dog was walking off-leash with its owner on a trail in the East Fork area south of Ketchum on July 21, when it got into a scuffle with the bear, according to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. The dog was taken to a local veterinarian, treated for multiple bite wounds, and is recovering at home. The woman walking the dog said the bear was about the same size as her dog, about 120 pounds. Idaho Fish and Game said it wasn't sure of the extent of the bear's injuries. Conservation officers determined the encounter did not warrant the bear being trapped because it involved a bear in its natural habitat near a rural residential neighborhood. Other people have reported seeing a mother bear and cubs in the area. “When a bear or any wildlife has direct contact with an unleashed pet in wildlands we tend to not take management actions against wildlife” according to Mike McDonald, Regional Wildlife Manager in a statement, “in many situations, wildlife and pets, especially dogs, don’t mix, and can actually make an encounter rise to an attack or fight between the two. We don’t want that to happen. Dog owners should be aware that they are responsible for their pets and their actions when recreating on public land.” This is the first reported incident involving a bear and pet. Idaho Fish and Game said people in the area have encountered food-conditioned bears that have been drawn to unsecured garbage bins in neighborhoods and food at campgrounds.