Minnesota Woman Caught On Video A Huge Bear Chasing Her Dog

Maple Grove, MN - A Minnesota woman displayed remarkable bravery when she leapt into action as a black bear chased her German shepherd, Zeus. The tense encounter unfolded on Tuesday night outside Bailey Jacobson's Maple Grove home and was captured by a home security camera.

Minnesota Woman Braves Bear Encounter to Save Beloved Dog

Jacobson had just stepped out of her house with Zeus when they stumbled upon a surprising sight: a mother bear rummaging through a garbage can, accompanied by her three cubs. Zeus trotted towards the bear, causing the cubs to scatter. It wasn’t until Jacobson saw the bear that she let out a blood-curdling scream.

Read More: What You Should Absolutely Never Do If Attacked By a Bear 

As the bear chased Zeus down the driveway, Jacobson's instinct kicked in, and she ran after them. Despite coming within 50 feet of the bear, reality struck, and Jacobson quickly retreated to the safety of her home. She waited anxiously on her screened-in porch until Zeus miraculously returned from the woods, unharmed.

Reflecting On The Incident

Jacobson said, "For me, it was just that natural instinct of thinking I couldn't live with myself if something happened. As a worried pet owner, you think, okay, what do you do? Do you have a fight-or-flight instinct?" Her immediate reaction was to protect Zeus "as much as possible."

Jacobson acknowledged that charging after the bear was not the safest decision but maintained that she would do it again to protect her dog. "I think any pet owner would agree, you would do anything for your dog, and if that means chasing a bear down and making as much noise as possible, I think you would do it," she said.

This Town Isn't New To Wildlife Encounters

Maple Grove, with its population of around 70,000, frequently encounters wildlife, including bears. The Minnesota Department of Natural Wildlife designates the state as "bear country" and advises residents to minimize "bear attractants" such as birdseed, dog food, trash, and grill grease to prevent conflicts.

The department's guidelines for bear encounters include backing away slowly, not running, and making noise if the bear approaches. If a bear does not leave on its own, residents are advised to shout, bang pots, slam doors, or throw objects to scare it away.