A West Hartford woman was attacked by a bear Wednesday morning while trying to protect her dog.
Sharon Flannery, of 49 Avondale Road, called police at 7:30 a.m. and said a black bear and its two cubs had wandered into her yard and attempted to attack her dog. The 200-pound female bear chased the dog as it ran towards the house, Flannery told police. She suffered a puncture wound and several scratches to her lower leg as she tried to protect the dog, she said.
Flannery was able to get her dog inside and call police.
The bear and its cubs ran from Flannery's yard and climbed a tree in a nearby yard. Police and officers from the State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection responded to the area and tranquilized the bear and the bear cubs.
The bear was euthanized and tested for rabies as a precaution, according to state officials. The cubs were deemed old enough to survive on their own and will be released into another area, officials said.
Flannery was treated for her injuries and released from a medical facility.
Photo Credit: Sharon Flannery