PORTER, Maine — A woman was injured after she was bitten by a bear that was in her backyard chasing her dog in Porter, Maine.
Lynn Kelly, 64, was working in her garden in her backyard when her dog started barking, according to WMTW. Her dog went off into the woods. Kelly reportedly told first responders that she heard her dog’s bark change and went to see what was going on.
Kelly then saw her dog run back from the woods with a black bear in pursuit, according to the news outlet.
“When the bear stood up, she stood up as tall as she could, then punched the bear in the nose, whereupon the bear bit her in the right hand,” the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife in a statement obtained by WMTW.
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife spokesperson Mark Latti said standing up tall is recommended when encountering a black bear, according to The Associated Press. Latti said it is not recommended to confront the bear.
Eventually, the bear released her right hand and took off, WMTW reported. Kelly’s dog was not injured.
Kelly was taken to the hospital and received some stitches, Latti said, according to the AP.
It is rare for someone to get bitten by a bear in Maine even though the state has a large black bear population, according to Latti per the AP.
