A black bear attacked a woman in her backyard in Index, Washington, Sunday morning, and she was taken to the hospital for treatment, FOX 13 Seattle reported. The woman was walking her dog when the bear struck. I checked the FOX 13 report directly, and it confirms the attack happened near her home in the small Snohomish County town, with the woman treated at the hospital after the incident.
Index sits in the Cascade foothills, a stretch of Washington where black bear encounters are not unusual as animals move through residential edges in search of food. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife regularly reminds residents that bears are most active at dawn and dusk, and that keeping garbage secured and removing bird feeders can reduce the chance of a close encounter. In this case, the bear’s behavior toward a person walking a dog fits a pattern wildlife managers have described before: a startled bear may react aggressively if it feels cornered or if a dog triggers its defensive instincts.
What this means for homeowners
If you live in bear country, the attack is a reminder to stay aware when stepping outside, especially with a pet. Keep your dog on a short leash and scan the yard before letting it out, particularly in early morning or evening hours. If you do see a bear, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife advises giving it space and never turning your back or running.
For a broader look at what to do if wildlife gets too close to your living space, the steps in our emergency wildlife guide cover immediate actions that apply beyond bears. And while this incident involved an animal outside, the same preparedness thinking applies to keeping wildlife out of structures, which our bat-proofing guide explains in detail for a common entry point. The woman’s condition has not been detailed by FOX 13, and officials have not said whether the bear was located.
The notice is published by FOX 13 Seattle at www.fox13seattle.com.
