If you’re trying to scare away human trespassers, an 80-pound guard dog usually does the trick. But if the intruder on your lawn is a 600-pound grizzly bear, you might find that releasing the hounds doesn’t quite strike terror into the invader’s heart.
This scenario played out recently in the village of Sechelt, B.C., where a grizzly bear set up camp under a fruit tree in someone’s front yard. The homeowner, Eliza Yates, recorded the bear’s visit, which was interrupted by her dog, Andy. Andy approached the bear barking loudly, but his attempts to intimidate the grizzly were met with, well, utter indifference. The bear simply continued to eat, not even bothering to chase the dog away.
The video has been making the rounds on the internet, reminding viewers of two of dogs’ most lovable qualities: their bravery and their poor judgment.
The presence of the bear did cause some concern for conservation officers. Bears don’t typically live in the region of the Sunshine Coast where the video was taken. But officers believe the bear came from a neighbouring region, which it left either due to food shortage or being pushed out by other bears.
While the grizzly in the video didn’t harm the dog, it had previously killed a black bear. Since the video was taken, the bear has been caught and relocated to a more suitable habitat.
