Bethlehem man says he fought off bear attacking pet goat

BETHLEHEM, Conn. (WFSB) - A Bethlehem man says he survived a 40-minute standoff with a bear that attacked one of his pet goats last week.

Joe Reda said he heard a squeal he had never heard before. He grabbed a shovel, went into the shed and saw the bear with the goat in its mouth.

“I had my grandsons here, my daughters here, the last thing I wanted to do is run,” Reda said.

Reda used the shovel as a spear, but the bear did not run off. The standoff lasted 40 minutes. Reda took a claw to the chest. He said he eventually fought off the bear with help from his bulldog named Heavy. His wife shot a rifle into the sky twice to get the bear to run off.

Reda said he is concerned for the safety of pets and livestock in rural Bethlehem, as residents claim there have been several bear attacks in town this year.

“People think bears eat berries and garbage. They’re eating donkeys, llamas, goats, sheep, it’s a bigger problem, and the biggest thing is living here now, when you have your grandson playing outside, you can’t leave him unattended,” Reda said.

State police said they and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection responded after the encounter.

The goat, Cole, is alive after being rushed to the vet. Reda said Cole needed 80 stitches after the attack.

Reda has set up new cameras on the property and said electric fencing is possibly next to protect their pets and loved ones.

“We’re afraid here now, when we hear something in the woods, automatic bear, dogs bark, bear, so we’re a little paranoid now that this happened because could he come back? They always come back,” Reda said. “These are peoples’ pets, but it could be kids.”