Nocturnal 
A California couple has been left with broken bones and severe injuries after a bear attacked them outside their rural home – with the pair crediting their French bulldog for saving their lives, even though it cost the dog her own.
Jeff and Mallory Wilson were attacked in the early hours of 19 September at their property near the Shasta-Trinity National Forest in Trinity County, roughly 175 miles north of Sacramento, according to the Daily Mail. The couple run Radio Ranch Camp, an off-grid glamping retreat, as reported by Yahoo News UK, which cited the San Francisco Chronicle.
How the attack unfolded
Jeff went outside to check on their dog, Cassie, after she barked just once in the middle of the night. He was confronted by a bear – described by some outlets as a “cinnamon” coloured bear and by others simply as a black bear – which knocked him to the ground and began attacking him, as first reported by LADbible.
Mallory woke up to the commotion and ran outside to help, only to be attacked herself. She suffered serious injuries to her head and face along with bite and puncture wounds, while Jeff was left with two broken ribs and multiple bite and claw wounds, according to the couple’s GoFundMe page.
During the struggle, Cassie jumped in to try to fend the bear off Jeff. The bear then clamped its jaws around the small dog and began to carry her away, before Mallory threw a chair at the animal, causing it to drop Cassie. Jeff reportedly also used a patio heater to help drive the bear off, and it eventually fled.
“I think the bear was startled by us just as much as we were startled by it,” Jeff told local outlet Redheaded Blackbelt.
Cassie’s death and the aftermath
Cassie was rushed to an emergency vet with deep cuts along her spine and multiple bite wounds. She initially appeared to be recovering, walking and drinking water on her own two days after the attack, but she died the following morning.
“She was never meant to be a hero, she was not our guard dog. She was just our sweet indoor lap baby,” Mallory told Redheaded Blackbelt.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has confirmed the attack took place and said it is investigating the circumstances, though it has not released further details, Yahoo News UK reported.
The Wilsons have described the attack as “unprovoked and extraordinarily unusual”, saying in a statement carried by KRON4: “We can grieve Cassie and be devastated by what happened while still respecting the wild animals that belong in these places.”
Where things stand now
The couple, who are self-employed, have had to cancel bookings at their glamping business while they recover, leaving them facing financial strain on top of their injuries.
Their friend of 20 years, Rachel Moscon, set up a GoFundMe to help cover medical and veterinary bills as well as property damage. “Cassie was a deeply loved member of their family, and in the moment Jeff needed her most, this little dog courageously put herself between him and a bear,” Moscon wrote on the page.
The fundraiser had brought in more than $14,000 towards its $16,000 target as of Friday, according to Yahoo News UK. The investigation into the attack by wildlife officials remains ongoing.
