Bear kills dog near dumpster at condos

A dog being walked on a leash by its owner had to be euthanized after being attacked by a black bear, the state Department of Environmental Conservation said Tuesday.

About 7:40 p.m. Saturday, the department was contacted regarding a dog whose owner said she was “close to a dumpster in her condominium development” when the animal was attacked. The bear was eating from the dumpster before the attack, the department said in a prepared

statement.

The address of the attack could not be confirmed by the Department of Environmental Conservation, but a Tuesday post on the Woodstock neighbors’ website nextdoor.com said it happened on Brittany Drive.

The dog was brought to the Animal Emergency

Clinic of the Hudson Valley, where it was euthanized due to its injuries, the state agency said.

The Department of Environmental Conservation said the “leading cause of bear nuisance complaints in New York is people leaving food sources outside, including unsecured residential

garbage, pet food and hanging bird feeders.”

In order to avoid attracting bears, residents are advised to take down bird feeders and put them away until December, keep garbage inside until the morning it is collected, never feed pets outdoors, and be “alert and aware of ... surroundings,

especially at night.”

Additionally, “people should avoid unlit areas and areas where trash or other attractants are stored,” and make noise before entering storage areas and occasionally while there, the department said.

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