Dog attacked by a bear in Connecticut

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (WHDH) -- A Connecticut man had a frightening encounter while he was out for an early morning walk when he face to face with a bear that then started attacking his dog.

Environmental police, West Hartford Connecticut's animal control officer and an officer from the Metropolitan District Commission spent the morning looking for the bear which attacked a small dog earlier today.

DEEP said the dog's owner had a pistol with him and tried protecting his pet by firing off 8 shots at the bear.

He then grabbed the dog and rushed it to the vet.

As police searched, the MDC closed off its trails, meaning bikers like John Herd, out for his morning ride, were out of luck.

"They just flagged me down just now, just as I was coming down the Comet Trail."

Police are investigating and there is no word yet on if the dog walker would face charges for firing off his gun.

The dog was reportedly not on a leash, which the MDA requires on its property, and that it actually went towards the bear.

Officers along with a K9 spent the morning in the woods trying to track it down the bear.

They did find some blood, but they believe it belongs to the dog, and that the bear was not injured.

DEEP wildlife biologists and officers with tranquilizer guns searched for clues on just where this bear might be, but their searched turned up empty.

"One of our concerns was there may be a wounded bear next to a public hiking trail, that does not appear to be the case right now. Another concern was an unprovoked aggressive encounter, that doesn't appear to be the case now."

The dog is expected to make a full recovery from its injuries.