Amish Bear Attacks Woman Protecting Her Dog, Near Pittsburgh

[Bill]

https://www.outdoorlife.com/survival...ylvania-woman/

Black Bear Attacks Pennsylvania Woman in Her Own Backyard
The woman saved her dog, but she was injured in the process and is now recovering in the hospital

By: Katie Hill
Posted on Mar 7, 2024 1:18 PM EST

A woman is recovering in Allegheny General Hospital after a black bear attacked her in her own backyard in Butler Township, Pennsylvania on Tuesday.

Lee Ann Galante, 55, let her Pomeranian named Smoky out at approximately 8:30 p.m. and immediately noticed three black bear cubs in her neighbor’s tree. She didn’t notice the nearby sow until it jumped the fence and started chasing Smoky. Galante went out to intervene and the sow redirected its attention on her.

“She was very very powerful and very very angry,” Galante told KDKA News. “I [didn’t] want her to eat my dog.”

Smoky got away from the sow, which came up behind Galante and pushed her down. Galante hit her face on the cement, breaking her nose and other facial bones. The bear then got ahold of Galante’s hair and scalp and started pulling. She was afraid the bear would scalp her.

Eventually, the bear stopped. Galante thinks Smoky must have distracted it again and the pair was able to escape into the house, where Galante called 911. Galante was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital, where her injuries were deemed non-life-threatening. She was then transferred to Allegheny General Hospital. She received dozens of staples to the back of her head and was treated for her broken nose, as well as puncture wounds, scratches, and scrapes.

“She has a fair amount of puncture wounds on the back of her neck, on her arm itself and pretty significant tears and lacerations across her scalp,” trauma surgeon Dr. Jennifer Chen said. “And she also has several broken bones of her nose and her face.”

Pennsylvania Game Commission officers responded to the scene and spotted the sow and three cubs in a nearby tree. They also noticed bird feeders in the area, although it’s unclear if the feeders were in Galante’s backyard. Officers euthanized the sow after it became aggressive toward them. They also tranquilized the three cubs and took them to an undisclosed facility. The cubs were then released on state game land in Pine Grove Township on Thursday morning.


Violent black bear encounters are rare. When they do occur, they usually involve sows protecting cubs or bears exhibiting food aggression, an unfortunate byproduct of human habituation often seen in suburban black bear populations. Pennsylvania’s black bear numbers have surged to an estimated 18,000 bears statewide, according to the PGC. The Pennsylvania black bear harvest dashboard shows that hunters harvested 3,171 bears during the 2022-2023 season, the second lowest harvest since the 2013-2014 season.

Smoky was the only one to make it out of the encounter unscathed. Now, Galante is trying to heal in time to go on a scheduled trip to Italy.

“I said, ‘hopefully, let’s aim for that,'” Chen said. “She’s a trooper.”

TL,DR: Momma bear saves dog from actual momma bear, is injured in the process.

[Yadkin]

I would have tossed the dog at the bear.

[slewfoot]

Originally Posted by Yadkin

I would have tossed the dog at the bear.

Gee, considering it's a Pomeranian, I have no doubt you would.

[Aerovette]

Grizza please.

[Bill]

If it was my dog out there, I would have gone after the bear, too. Hell, I'd probably go out to save the cat, too.

[ZipZap]

I'da messed that bear bitch up with my Bat'leth.

[vettemed]

Fo shizzle My Grizzle

[Onebadcad]

Ringo has killed at least three brown bears, two polar bears and a few black bears.

[Yadkin]

Originally Posted by Onebadcad

Ringo has killed at least three brown bears, two polar bears and a few black bears.

My 21# rescue terrier mix treed black bears next to my house, twice. Little white puppy mill pups are only suitable for sacrificial duty.

[Bill]

Originally Posted by Onebadcad

Ringo has killed at least three brown bears, two polar bears and a few black bears.

Ringo = racist


Got it.

[Millenium Vette]

Originally Posted by Yadkin

I would have tossed the dog at the bear.

You sure have a thing about small white dogs. My mother, may she rest in peace, had several "little white dogs" and none came from a puppy mill.

[PortDawg]

"Amish Bear" ?? Because of its location?

[Bill]

Originally Posted by PortDawg

"Amish Bear" ?? Because of its location?

It was an homage to some of the recent threads.

[Aerovette]

Originally Posted by bill_daniels

Ringo = racist


Got it.

Nope. There were polar bears in the list.

Equality > Equity

[ZipZap]

Originally Posted by Millenium Vette

You sure have a thing about small white dogs. My mother, may she rest in peace, had several "little white dogs" and none came from a puppy mill.

I just thought he was Filipino. They love white dogs.

[CurtP]

Originally Posted by ZipZap

I'da messed that bear bitch up with my Bat'leth.

Heghlu'meH QaQ jajvam

[DJ_Critterus]

Originally Posted by ZipZap

I just thought he was Filipino. They love white dogs.

the other white meat?

[Yadkin]

Originally Posted by ZipZap

I just thought he was Filipino. They love white dogs.

Better than cats?

[VatorMan]

Originally Posted by Yadkin

Better than cats?

Monkeys. Cats are scarce in PI. Monkeys everywhere tho.

[Ronins2ndCuzzin]

When you live in the country, you carry. 8-10 10mm rounds to the dome would've de-escalated that situation real fast.