A black bear mauled a Trinity County couple in their backyard until their French bulldog charged the animal to protect them, and the dog later died from her wounds.
In the early morning hours of Sept. 19, Jeff Wilson stepped outside his Northern California home after the couple’s 7-year-old French bulldog, Cassie, let out a single bark. A cinnamon-colored black bear came out from behind patio furniture, lunged, and knocked him to the floor.
Fox News reported that Mallory Wilson woke to the commotion, went outside, and was attacked as well. Cassie threw herself between her owners and the bear. The animal grabbed the dog in its mouth and started to run before the Wilsons forced it to drop her and drove it off.
Jeff suffered two broken ribs and numerous bite and claw wounds. Mallory took serious injuries to her head and face, along with other bite and puncture wounds. Both needed continued medical treatment and recovery time.
Cassie went into surgery for multiple wounds, including injuries along her spine. She died two days after the attack.
The Wilsons own Radio Ranch, an off-the-grid glamping retreat in Trinity County. They canceled reservations while they recover and work with investigators.
Jeff later told the news site Redheaded Blackbelt he believes the bear was as startled as they were. He also told local news he thinks the animal may have become cornered between a fence and a gate.
“I think the bear was startled by us just as much as we were startled by it,” Wilson said.
The couple described the attack as unprovoked and rare in comments to KRON4.
“We chose to live in rural Northern California because we treasure being surrounded by the natural world and the wildlife with whom we share it. This was an unprovoked and extraordinarily unusual encounter that none of us could have anticipated.”
They added that they can grieve Cassie and still respect the wild animals that belong in those places.
A longtime friend opened a GoFundMe to help with medical bills, veterinary costs, property damage, and hired help during recovery. As of Saturday afternoon, the page had raised more than $16,000 toward a $20,000 goal.
The fundraising write-up called Cassie “a deeply loved member of their family” and said she “tragically died two days” after the incident. It also noted the couple’s years of experience living alongside wildlife and the precautions they take to coexist with animals on their land.
“They are passionate animal lovers, which has made this extraordinarily rare encounter and the loss of Cassie heartbreaking on so many levels,” the page said.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is investigating. The Wilsons are cooperating. Fox News reached out to the couple and the fundraiser organizer for comment.
Through reporting carried by The San Francisco Chronicle, CDFW has said black bear attacks that injure people are rare in California. The department advises residents to secure food and garbage that draw bears, keep pets indoors at night when possible, and fight back rather than play dead if a black bear attacks.
The Wilsons built a life around open country and the animals that share it. They canceled guest stays, faced hospital recovery, and buried a dog that put herself between them and a predator.
State officials call injury-causing black bear attacks uncommon. That did not change what happened on their patio when a bark in the dark brought a bear out from behind the furniture.
Cassie was 7. She barked once, then charged. Her owners got the bear to drop her and scared it away. Two days later, after surgery for wounds along her spine, she was gone.
Wilderness is not a backdrop. It is a place with teeth, and the people who live closest to it already know the difference.
