Terrifying Close Encounter: Asheville Woman’s Backyard Bear Saga

TL/DR –

A woman from Asheville, North Carolina, was charged at by a black bear while in her backyard with her service dog. The woman had failed to check her security camera before going outside, a usual precaution due to the area’s bear population. The North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission suggests residents plant a pollinator garden to feed birds without attracting bears.

Asheville Woman’s Close Encounter with Black Bear

On the morning of June 24, an Asheville woman had a shocking encounter with a black bear in her backyard. The incident was caught on camera as Audrey Thompson was playing with her service dog.

Thompson’s golden retriever, Amazing Grace, noticed the bear standing over a fallen bird feeder before she did. “It was frightening,” Thompson recalled, “I felt shocked for the rest of the day.”

Bear problems are increasing in the area, according to locals. Thompson usually checks her security camera before going outside, but that day, she forgot.

After noticing the bear and her cubs charging at her dog, Thompson bravely went after them. Thompson, who lacks peripheral vision and depth perception, had to navigate her terrace without falling.

“Mama bear charged and hit the patio wall with such force the entire deck shook,” Thompson said. “She was mad; she was protecting her cubs.”

Ashley Hobbs from the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission called the situation a “perfect storm”: a mother bear protecting a reliable food source and her four cubs. Hobbs suggests homeowners to take precautions by finding natural ways to attract birds without drawing in bears.

According to Hobbs, bears are fast, powerful creatures. If they want to avoid interactions with humans or pets, they may do bluff charges or make threatening noises. Despite the frightening encounter, Thompson advises everyone to respect the bears and maintain distance.

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