Florida bear attack injures woman walking dog
| LONGWOOD, Fla.
A woman was injured in an encounter with a聽bear聽while walking her dog, and wildlife officers set up a trap Tuesday to try to capture the animal, officials said.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission said in a news release that Susan Chalfant was hurt Monday evening in the Orlando suburb of Longwood.
Chalfant was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center for treatment and her condition wasn't immediately available. The dog wasn't injured.
A neighbor on a 911 call said Chalfant was bleeding from the head.
Chalfant can be heard screaming in the background of the 911 call as her neighbor, identified only as "Steve," urges a dispatcher to send paramedics quickly.
Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission were patrolling the neighborhood where Chalfant was hurt and set up a trap in the yard where the聽bear聽was last seen.
At last count, there were approximately 3,000 black聽bears聽living in Florida, according to fish and wildlife.
Florida has had a series of recent sightings of聽bears聽in urban or suburban settings when they are usually on the hunt for food in garbage cans. In June, a 300-pound聽bear聽wandered through parts of downtown Orlando. The聽bear聽didn't threaten anyone and residents stopped and took pictures during the聽bear's聽journey.
Last July, a 225-pound聽bear聽died after running into the side of an ambulance rushing to an emergency call in Hernando County, north of Tampa.
