Woman uses gun to stop black bear attack that left her dog seriously injured in Alaska

A woman and her two dogs survived a frightening black bear attack while searching for mushrooms in Alaska, with the owner saying quick action helped save their lives.

Lori Price was foraging with her pets near Skilak Lake on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula on June 7 when she suddenly encountered the bear, according to Alaska News Source.

“All of a sudden, I hear [a roar], and I was like, ‘Oh my god,’” Price recalled. “As soon as I heard the bear … I registered what was going on.”

The situation quickly escalated when Price saw her German short-haired pointer, Chaos, being attacked by the bear.

“My sudden reaction was, ‘I got to get to my dog now,’” she said, explaining that she began screaming her dog’s name in an attempt to stop the attack.

Price, who was carrying a Glock 43 9mm pistol, said she fired at the bear, causing it to fall and temporarily stopping the encounter.

“I pull my pistol, and I shot. Boom, down like a sack of potatoes goes the bear,” she told Alaska News Source.

She said she fired again when the bear got back up.

“Bear goes down … He seems like lights out. We’re good,” Price recalled. “All of a sudden, the bear gets up again. And I’m like, ‘Oh my God. What?’”

After firing a third shot, Price said she ran away with both dogs as the bear moved in the opposite direction.

She then flagged down a passing driver, and emergency responders, including police and an ambulance, were called to the area.

Chaos suffered serious injuries during the attack, including multiple bite marks, gashes and significant blood loss.

“My heart broke,” Price said. “He had so many bite marks on him. It was like the bear thought he was like a little sardine.”

The dog was treated at a veterinary clinic and later recovered. Price credited the veterinary team for helping save Chaos’s life.

“Dr. Patrick called me from the veterinary clinic, and I owe him my dog’s life,” she said.

Price’s other dog, a chocolate Labrador named Willis, escaped the attack without injuries.

Authorities have not shared additional details about the bear or whether any further action was taken regarding the animal.