World's Best Dog Owner

Woman punches bear to save her dog

It started out as a typical evening for 22-year-old Brooke Collins. She let her dogs out as usual but this time, she said there was a black bear outside who took hold of her dachshund Fudge. She said she feared for her pet’s life and, in an instant, ran over and punched the bear right in the face to make it let go.

“It was all so fast. All I could think about was my dog was going to die,” said Collins. “It was a stupid thing but I couldn’t help it,” she said. “I know you’re not supposed to do that but I didn’t want my dog to be killed.

This reminds me of the story of Ted and Spook encountering a bull Roosevelt Elk in rutting season.  Ted and his first dog, Spook, who might have been a lab/collie cross, and a fearless ground squirrel and skunk killer, were wandering around the hills in Oregon in the elk rutting season.  Now, Roosevelt Elk are the largest subspecies of elk in America, the bulls averaging about 700 lbs.  Not normally aggressive, the bulls often turn aggressive in the rutting season.

Bull Elk at Prairie Creek Park, Northern Calif. 2005

Spook chased the elk, the elk chased Spook, Spook chased the elk, the elk chased Spook, and Spook went and stood behind Ted.  Ted was carrying his rifle, as always, and was faced with the possibility of having to shoot an elk out of season and having to explain why.  After some moments of staring each other down, the elk wandered off...

Skye, if you take on a bear, you're on your own.  Just sayin'.