Dog killed, 1 injured in two bear attacks .

May 16, 2024

A man who went into the water on Long Island to rescue his service dog ended up needing to be rescued himself.

It happened on Sunday night in Oyster Bay.

The 34-year-old man was walking his dog when it entered the water to swim around 8:23 p.m.

The dog suddenly began to struggle while swimming and got stuck under a dock.

Police in New Jersey are warning pet owners after two dogs were attacked in Sparta, one of them fatally.

It happened on Graphic Boulevard last Thursday and again on Monday of this week.

The most recent attack resulted in the death of the dog.

Sparta Township Police and officials from NJ Fish and Wildlife are investigating the attacks.

Residents near West Mountain Road are advised to use caution when outdoors and to take precautions to avoid bear encounters.

Officials say you should secure your garbage cans. They also say you should not leave out food sources that could attract wildlife.

“Bears have an extremely keen sense of smell. They are actively searching for food as they leave dens. The risk of an unwanted encounter rises if they associate you or your property with food,” NJDEP Fish & Wildlife Assistant Commissioner David Golden said. “People can prevent encounters with bears by removing or properly securing any potential food sources such as trash, pet food or bird seed. It is also critically important for people to never feed black bears. Feeding bears is dangerous, illegal and may result in bears becoming aggressive.”

Anyone witnessing an aggressive bear or encountering aggressive wildlife is urged to contact the Sparta Township Police Department immediately at 973-729-6121 to report the incident.

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