The B.C. Conservation Officer Service is urging the public to take precautions after a black bear killed a pet dog in Forests for the World on Friday morning.
The attack occurred near the Cranbrook Hill lookout at about 10 a.m. after the owner had let the dog off its leash in what BCCOS Sgt. Steve Ackles described as an unfortunate incident.
"The poor individual with the dog. It was a little dog and I understand him letting the dog off for a little bit of a run, but it was wrong place, wrong time," Ackles said.
The owner deployed bear spray and the bear took off but by then it was too late.
"Dogs are dogs and they will get on the scent of a bear and go check it out and agitate the bear," Ackles said. "It was a smaller dog so it couldn't run away from the bear.
"Larger dogs, they tend to agitate them, get scared and come back to their owner and a lot of times that's where we get people run over by bears or contact is made with people, the dog being the instigator."
Ackles said no steps will be taken to put the bear down.
"We took all the information there and we have had no reports or indications that the bear was aggressive towards people. This was just a horrible incident for the person," Ackles said.
There are "probably a half dozen bears" in the FFTW area, Ackles noted.
"People have to realize that where they are in B.C., they're in bear country and expect to see a bear," Ackles said. "We have them on Ginter's (Field) and Moore's Meadow."
Dog owners are urged to keep their dogs on leashes, travel in groups, carry bear spray, make noise and carry some form of noise maker and not feed any wildlife.
On a different note, Ackles said he remains "just disgusted" with the lack of action by homeowners to reduce bear attractants on their properties.
"We are in 2020 and people just don't get it and for conservation officers, it is so, so frustrating," he said. "Your garbage does not belong outside your garage, it belongs inside you garage."
He said the BCCOS could take every bear out of Prince George tomorrow and within a week they would be replaced by new ones because of homeowners' inaction.
"You would not believe how many people call us, almost daily, to say that 'the bear is in my bird feeder again,'" Ackles said. "'And it's on my porch in my bird feeder but I put it high so the bear can't reach it.' Really?
"You can hear the frustration in my voice but we try to save bears' lives and keep people safe but it's almost impossible and it's not the bear's fault."
Fines for failing to clean up attractants begin at $230.
To report bear activity to the BCCOS, call 1-877-952-7277.
