Brave Dog Saves Guardian From Bear Attack

You would be pretty hard-pressed to find a dog guardian who wouldn’t go to extreme lengths to protect their furry friend from any semblance of harm. When the roles are reversed and the guardian is in danger, unsurprisingly, dogs are willing to go to similarly extreme lengths to protect the humans they love. A testament to the true bond between humans and dogs, the depths of mutual care and loyalty motivate each to ensure the other is safe and sound at all times.

In this story, both guardian and dog were put in danger when they accidentally crossed into the path of a mother black bear. It is widely known that you NEVER want to be caught between a mama bear and her cubs, but this pair were unaware they had crossed into the path of these forest dwellers.

The DailyMail reports that Steven Kirschbaum was out walking in West Virginia’s George Washington Forest with his yellow lab mix, Henry. Steve and Henry came upon a mother bear and her two cubs, and reacting on maternal instinct, the mother attacked. Henry immediately sprung into action, shielding his guardian from harm. This quick reaction allowed Steven time to strike the bear, eventually ending the struggle.

While both Steve and Henry sustained substantial wounds from the interaction, they managed to escape. Steve was able to drive and located a nearby fruit stand where they were able to get further assistance. The owners of the fruit stand helped to compress Steve and Henry’s open wounds and called for an ambulance.

Both were quickly sent to a hospital and emergency animal hospital, respectively. Despite the injuries they sustained, both are doing well and it is expected that they will be just fine.

While this unfortunate interaction may not have been preventable, there are important steps you can take to ensure the safety of you and your furry best friend when out hiking. Check out this article for more tips.