California, US: A man ended up fighting a bear to rescue his dog, reports say.
The pitbull named “Buddy” was enjoying the day outside Kaleb Benham’s house in Nevada County the day before Thanksgiving when Kaleb heard a beastly growl and saw that a 350-pound bear had Buddy in its mouth, according to CBS 13 Sacramento.
“I heard a growl, looked about 75-100 feet down, and the bear was dragging him by his head,” Kaleb said.
“Honestly, the only thing I could think of was ‘save my baby.’”
And so he did – by charging the bear and punching it straight in the face.
“I just ran down there, plowed into the bear, tackled it and grabbed it by the throat and started hitting it in the face and the eye until it let go,” Kaleb recalled.
But even after Buddy was saved, Kaleb worried that he might not make it:
The nearest veterinary hospital was closed due to a positive coronavirus case. So, Kaleb decided to take his dog to Mother Lode Veterinary Hospital in Grass Valley, News 9 reported.
Buddy had an operation and after three hours and some stitches, he was able to make it home in time for Thanksgiving. The loving pair spent the holiday resting and recovering.
Buddy’s face was severely damaged. His ears had to be stapled back on. But he’s recovering! Kaleb and Buddy spent Thanksgiving laying in bed resting, but they’re more thankful than ever. Photo of Buddy as Kaleb watched from outside the operating room ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/T8IhDjkvLs
— Anna Giles (@AnnaGilesTV) December 4, 2020
The hungry bear went back to their home many times since the incident, and Kaleb doesn’t know what to do about it.
“It made an attack and had its food, and its food got taken from it, and it wants it back,” Kaleb added.
A GoFundMe page was since set up to cover the vet bill for Buddy’s surgery. It has so far raised $2,278. If you wish to help, please click HERE.
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