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| Beebs, dreaming of the lunchmeat she knows she's gonna get at the end of the hike. |
This one wasn't.
Gretzky, a cute little French bulldog, took off after a grizzly sow and two cubs that were browsing through the family's yard out in the Soldotna area.
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| How can you not love a face like this? The fierce Gretzky. Source: Redoubt Reporter |
Gretzky was indoors with his family at the time, and after the bears reportedly were unable to open the bearproof trash cans out in the yard, they stepped up on the porch and peered in the sliding glass door windows (imagine looking up from the dinner table and seeing that!).
Gretzky went crazy and escaped out the pet door.
“He got loose and shot out the door. It all happened so fast. He was defending us and the house. He ran right in the middle of the bears barking,” said owner Ryan Kapp.
The sow went after Gretzky who, at just 22-lbs., didn't stand much of a chance.
“She swatted him and knocked him down, then picked him up in her jaws. Then she stood on her hind legs and snapped her head back and forth,” Kapp said.
I love what happened next: Kapp stepped out of the house and yelled and waved his arms at the bear, startling it enough that it let go of the dog and retreated. (The dog risked his life to protect the family and the head of the family risked his life to protect his dog--full circle, folks.)
Kapp initially thought Gretzky would make it but he died of internal injuries on the way to the vet.
“He died doing his best to protect the family,” Kapp said.
Read the full story here.
Oh my heavens that is so sad and scary! I think my worst fear is to see my dog attacked by wildlife. Props to Gretzky for keep the family safe until the end.
ReplyDeleteWe had something like this happen backpacking near sitka. My friend had just finished saying that the dog woyldnt run at the sow and cubs. oh my. she growled, swiped at the dog and charged us. I firmly believed we would have been mauled had there been less than five of us or if we had run.
ReplyDeleteYou are braver than me! P.S. Did you kinda/sorta pee your pants in fright, too? (Not to be personal or anything). Thanks for sharing. Bears and dogs do not mix.
DeleteWow, that is terrifying! It is sweet the whole family was protecting the other, but wow.
ReplyDeleteI think bears are terrifying. Way scarier than mountain lions and wolves for sure.
That is very sad. But as you said, full circle. Poor little dog trying to do his best for his family.
ReplyDeleteSo sad, one time I let my dog out and when I looked he was fighting with a woodchuck, I screamed and turned away because I was scared (I didn't pee tho :). I looked back and the woodchuck was gone and my Mokey was ok!
ReplyDeleteWoodchucks can be nasty, I remember one attacking our family dog out on our Pennsylvania farm. Poor dog was pretty beat up, and I think he got the worst of it. Glad Mokey was okay (Oh, how we love our pets, eh?) Cheers and hugs,
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