A Nipigon couple and their dog needed stitches to treat bites and lacerations after a bear entered their home Sept. 16.
It happened after the pair, unaware the bruin was nearby, let their dog out at 11 p.m. According to police, the 100-pound mixed breed and bear started fighting outside before the bear followed the dog inside and attacked both individuals. The couple retreated to the bedroom and called 911.
“The dog chased it and kept it in the basement so it couldn’t come up the stairs,” said Sgt. Mitch Brennen of Nipigon OPP. “The dog did a lot of work in saving them.”
Police shot the bear in the basement. Less than a week earlier on Sept. 10, Nipigon OPP dispatched another bear in Red Rock. It reportedly charged at and growled at residents, causing concern for public safety. Despite efforts to deter the animal, it could not be safely scared away or relocated.
Brennen said there were 42 incidents in the summer and fall of 2025, which was more than normal. “My suspicion is the lack of berries this year [was the cause], and that was confirmed by the MNR,” he said.
“They just don’t have the food, so they’re coming into town to get food to bulk up for winter.”
Individuals are reminded to use extreme caution when encountering dangerous animals. For information on how to prevent and report encounters with black bears, contact the MNR or visit: www.ontario.ca/page/bear-wise-tips-and-tools
Originally published in the Nov.-Dec. 2025 issue of Ontario Out of Doors
