A Minnesota woman leapt into action when a black bear began to chase her dog, and fearing for his life, ran after them.
Bailey Jacobson was leaving her Maple Grove house with the family dog, Zeus, on Tuesday night, when they came face-to-face with a group of unexpected visitors.
A home security camera captured the hair-raising moment Zeus began trotting in the direction of a mama bear, who was digging through a garbage can with three cubs at her side.
The cubs fled as the German shepherd drew near, with Jacobson trailing behind obliviously. Once she saw the mama bear, however, she let out a blood-curdling scream.
The bear followed Zeus as he bounded down the driveway. After a momentary pause, Jacobson hurried after them and the trio disappeared from sight.
A Minnesota woman leapt into action when a black bear began chasing her beloved German shepherd Zeus
Bailey Jacobson ran after the bear as it chased Zeus down the driveway of her Maple Grove home
‘For me, it was just that natural instinct of thinking I couldn't live with myself if something happened,' Jacobson told KARE 11.
‘As a worried pet owner, you think, okay, what do you do? Do you have a fight-or-flight instinct?'
She said her knee-jerk reaction was to try to protect Zeus ‘as much as possible.'
Jacobson came around 50 feet away from the bear when reality hit. She abruptly turned and high-tailed it home without her dog.
The Minnesota woman waited from her screened-in porch as minutes ticked by. However, she was able to breathe a sigh of relief when Zeus appeared from the woods, apparently unharmed.
It is not uncommon for Maple Grove's some 70,000 residents to brush shoulders with wildlife.
The mama bear could be seen digging through a garbage can with three cubs at her side moments before the tense encounter
Jacobson came roughly 50 feet away from the bear when she realized she was in danger and hurried home without Zeus. Luckily, her beloved pet returned minutes later
So frequent are bear encounters that the Minnesota Department of Natural Wildlife has deemed the state ‘bear country.'
While black bears are naturally cautious and flighty, conflicts may arise when the creatures interact with domestic pets or damage personal property.
The agency urges Minnesotans to limit the availability of ‘bear attractants' – things that smell like food – including birdseed, dog food, trash and grill grease.
‘Taking the initiative to secure or remove attractants will help prevent bears from becoming a nuisance,' the department's website reads.
On the occasion that a bear encounter occurs, people are encouraged to back away slowly, not run, only raise voice if bear approaches.
‘Wait and see if the bear leaves on its own,' the agency instructs.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Wildlife urges residents to remove ‘bear attractants' like trash and birdseed from their property and back away upon encountering the creatures
‘If the bear does not leave on its own, but approaches (e.g., comes up on the deck, or puts its paws on windows or doors), it’s time to try to scare it away: boldly shout, bang pots, slam door or throw something.'
Jacobson conceded that charging after the bear likely wasn't the safest way to proceed – but vowed to do it again if it meant protecting her beloved dog.
‘I think any pet owner would agree, you would do anything for your dog, and if that means chasing a bear down and making as much noise as possible, I think you would do it,' she said.
