Bear attack involving two women near Prince George was defensive: BC Conservation Officer Service

The BC Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) says a recent bear attack involving two women near Prince George was defensive in nature.

Deputy chief in charge of provincial operations for the BC Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) Chris Doyle said two women were attacked by a bear on Tuesday (June 16) along a logging road northwest of the city. 

He reported that conservation officers received a call to its RAPP line shortly after 2 p.m. that afternoon and the women were taken to hospital and treated for minor injuries. 

This morning (June 18), the service posted on social media that it believes the attack was defensive after one of the women's dogs startled the bear that was eating. 

The post adds that due to the factors, the BCCOS isn't currently trying to capture the bear.

The attack was the third known bear incident in Prince George within the past week including an incident at Forests Fort The World, where a dog was eaten by a black bear after running into a bushy area while another report indicated person(s) were chasing a bear in a residential area in their vehicle with bear spray.

- with files from Kyle Balzer, PrinceGeorgeMatters, and Sarita Patel, Castanet

Update on Bear Attack | CO’s believe this was a defensive attack. Two women were walking in a remote area near #PrinceGeorge when one of their dogs startled a bear that was eating. Due to these factors, the #BCCOS is not attempting to capture the bear at this time.

— BC CO Service (@_BCCOS) June 18, 2020