Bear euthanized after swiping, biting man at Shuswap trailer park

Conservation officers had to put down a black bear after a dog owner was injured trying to rescue his puppy at a trailer park near Salmon Arm.

The man heard his dog yelping in his backyard and went to investigate. He then stumbled on the black bear with his puppy. The bear then swatted and bit the man.

The B.C. Conservation Officer Service said the man received medical treatment for non-life-threatening injuries and the dog was rushed to the vet but didn't survive.

The Conservation Officer Service relayed the details in an email of the incident that took place at 2:30 p.m. on June 30.

"Officers attended the trailer park numerous times as they worked to locate the offending bear," the Conservation Officer Service said. "A bear was captured in the area on July 4. Based on location, witness description and behaviour, Conservation Officers are confident they captured the offending bear. Due to the risk to public safety, the bear was put down."

READ MORE: More than 60 bears euthanized in Okanagan and Kamloops in 2021

The Conservation Officer Service says it's working with trailer park management and residents to help provide education, awareness and safety tips to reduce human-wildlife conflicts.

"Securing attractants, such as garbage, pet food, and birdseed, is the single best way to help keep people, and bears, safe," it said.

The news comes days after a report from the Fur-Bears organization found 63 black bears were killed in the Thompson-Okanagan region in 2021.

The Shuswap, however, saw only three bears euthanized in 2021, with one in Sicamous and two in Sorrento. No bears were euthanized in Salmon Arm in 2021.

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