Alaska woman punches bear in face to save her tiny dog
‘It had her kind of like when they eat salmon,’ says owner of Fudge the dachshund
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A 22-year-old Alaska woman said on Wednesday she punched a black bear in the face to save her small dog from being carried off and possibly eaten. Juneau resident Brooke Collins said she hit the bear Sunday night to save the life of her dachshund, Fudge. She said she discovered the bear crouched down, clutching Fudge in its paws and biting the back of the dog's neck."It had her kind of like when they eat salmon," Collins said Wednesday. "I was freaking out. I was screaming at it. My dog was screaming. I ran up to it ... I just punched it right in the snout and it let go."Collins said her boyfriend then scared the bear away. "I think it was more startled than anything," she said.Collins, a hairdresser who has lived in Juneau most of her life, said she is accustomed to bears and knows how to take precautions around them.She also knew about this particular bear before Sunday's attack because it has been hanging around the neighborhood.updated 8/31/2011 8:41:29 PM ET 2011-09-01T00:41:29 ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A 22-year-old Alaska woman said on Wednesday she punched a black bear in the face to save her small dog from being carried off and possibly eaten. Juneau resident Brooke Collins said she hit the bear Sunday night to save the life of her dachshund, Fudge. She said she discovered the bear crouched down, clutching Fudge in its paws and biting the back of the dog's neck."It had her kind of like when they eat salmon," Collins said Wednesday. "I was freaking out. I was screaming at it. My dog was screaming. I ran up to it ... I just punched it right in the snout and it let go."Collins said her boyfriend then scared the bear away. "I think it was more startled than anything," she said.Collins, a hairdresser who has lived in Juneau most of her life, said she is accustomed to bears and knows how to take precautions around them.
Michael Penn / AP / Juneau Empire
Safe and sound: Brook Collins holds her dog, Fudge, at her home in Juneau, Alaska on Tuesday.