WEST HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) -
It was a frightening morning near the West Hartford Reservoir after a bear attacked a dog Monday.
Environmental police, West Hartford's Animal Control officers and officials from the Metropolitan District Commission headed down the trails into the woods and spent the morning looking for the bear that attacked the dog.
Shortly after 6:30 a.m., police said West Hartford resident Dan Sweeney was out walking two dogs on MDC property when one of the dogs, a 6-year-old schnauzer, got into an altercation with the black bear.
Officials from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said Sweeney had a gun with him and tried to protect his dog by firing off at least eight shots at the bear.
He then grabbed his dog and brought it to the vet.
Police are investigating, and there is no word if the dog walker would face any charges for firing his weapon.
According to MDC, the carrying and discharge of a firearm on the property is prohibited. In addition, the dog was not on a leash, which is required on MDC property, and the dog actually went toward the bear.
Officers, along with a K-9, spent the morning in the woods trying to track the bear down. They said they did find some blood, but they said that it belonged to the dog and the bear was not injured.
The dog was brought to an animal hospital in Avon and Channel 3 Eyewitness News was told the animal was being stabilized and should fully recover from its injuries.
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