The fatal mauling of a dog by a bear Saturday in Canada’s Jasper National Park underscores the risk associated with bringing pets into the wilderness.
Parks Canada, which manages the country’s national parks, confirmed Monday that a black bear attacked and killed one of two dogs being walked by visitors on the Wabasso Lake Trail.
Jasper National Park, in Alberta, described the incident in a news release: “They were approached at close range by a black bear and the bear attacked one of the dogs. The hikers then deployed bear spray in an effort to deter the bear.”
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Parks Canada did not mention the type of dog or whether its was illegally allowed off-leash. But Jasper National Park stated: “This is a sad reminder that all pets should be kept under control and on-leash at all times within a national park.”
A team of human-wildlife confrontation experts responded to the incident, which remains under investigation. The area is closed while experts try to locate the bear involved in the attack.
–Generic black bear image courtesy of Alan D. Wilson