Alaska Woman Saves Dog from Bear Attack
An Alaskan woman claims that the handgun she carried was crucial in saving her dog during a black bear attack while she was foraging for mushrooms on the Kenai Peninsula earlier this month.
On June 7, Laurie Price was enjoying a walk near Lake Skilak with her German shorthair pointer, Kaos, and her chocolate Labrador, Willis, when an unexpected danger arose.
In an interview with Alaska News Source, Price recounted hearing a growl that quickly alerted her to the bear’s presence near her dog.
“I heard the bear and knew something was off,” Price said. “My instinct kicked in; I had to get to my dog.”
Upon realizing Kaos was under attack, Price retrieved her Glock 43 9mm handgun and fired at the bear.
“I took my gun out, shot, and just like that, the bear fell as if it were nothing,” she recalled.
Initially thinking the worst was over, Price checked on Kaos, only to find him badly wounded and bleeding. To her shock, the bear stood up once more.
Price fired another round as the bear re-emerged.
“Suddenly, the bear sat up again, and I just thought, ‘Oh no. Why is this happening?'” she said.
In a panic, Price and her dogs fled while the bear headed in another direction. She attempted to call 911 during the escape, but struggled with poor cell reception.
Once at her car, she managed to flag down a driver and alerted them to the situation.
Paramedics arrived shortly after to assist Price with Kaos, who was then rushed to a veterinary hospital for treatment.
“It was heartbreaking to see. He had so many bite marks. The bear must have thought he was a snack,” Price shared.
She expressed gratitude towards the veterinarian, Dr. Patrick, for saving Kaos’s life.
“Dr. Patrick called me while at the hospital, and I realized I owed my dog’s life to him,” she stated.
Kaos was released from the hospital on the same day and is expected to recover fully. Price noted that his ability to walk has returned, and he’s on the mend from the ordeal.
“We’re definitely in the recovery phase, but we feel incredibly lucky he survived,” she remarked.
Willis, fortunately, was unharmed during the incident.
