Man and dog attacked by bear outside New Hampshire home
GOFFSTOWN, N.H. – Jim Hurley described the horrifying moments he and his 10-year-old terrier named Toby were attacked by a bear outside their New Hampshire home.
"When I walked out and saw those two bears staring at me right there, then panic set in," Hurley said.
Hurley said he let his dog out around 7 p.m. on Saturday in Goffstown. Moments later he heard a terrifying sound.
When he ran out the house he was confronted with a bear and her two cubs. The bear took a swipe at him and his dog.
"A swipe from a wide paw like 'Get out of my way' type thing. And that laceration that I have on my shoulder is very consistent with a swipe also," Hurley said.
Both Hurley and Toby ran back into the house. Hurley walked away with just this cut on his arm. But Toby took the brunt of it.
"He sustained deep wounds to his side. No bones were broken and no organs were impacted. Just flesh wounds," Hurley said.
Toby spent the last several days in the Rockingham Emergency Veterinary Hospital.
"I didn't think Toby was going to make for a few days," he said.
He's received dozens of stitches but will be OK. Hurley said the incident has left Toby extremely frightened.
"It's caused me possibly reconsider where I am living right now as a result. I hear people saying bears come back, bears come back if there is food source," he said.
Hurley believes that the bear was attracted to the food source in his backyard which are rotten apples on the ground. He also believes the bear was trying to protect her cubs which is why it attacked.
"That's what she was doing because you can't touch the cubs. And they were standing there looking at me," he said.
For now, he only plans to let his dog out at night on a leash. And is considering installing more lights in the backyard.
"I am absolutely ecstatic that Toby is OK and I feel lucky I am OK. The top of my shoulder and my face are probably five inches away. If I had gotten a swat at something else, I'd probably be in the ICU," Hurley said.
Instead, man and his best friend will remain side-by-side and are happy to be back home.