Vermont Woman Being Mauled by Bear Was Saved by Her Jack Russell

A Vermont woman who was being mauled by a bear was saved by her Jack Russell terrier.

Susan Lee, 61, had been on a walk with her two dogs in Strafford on August 20 when she heard a noise and noticed a black bear charging her, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department reported.

Vermont has a strong and growing bear population. There are an estimated 4,500 to 6,000 bears in the state.

As the bear continued to charge her, Lee fell and felt pain as the bear sank its teeth into her leg.

One of Lee's dogs, a Jack Russell terrier then began barking at the bear, which became startled by the dog, backed off and retreated.

Lee told the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department that she then lifted herself up and left the scene of the attack.

Lee was rushed to the hospital following the ordeal, where she was treated for the bite on her left leg, as well as scratches that were "two and nine inches long," according to the wildlife department. Her injuries were not life-threatening.

Wildlife officials visited the scene of the attack and concluded the bear responsible was likely a female with cubs.

Female bears are fiercely protective of their cubs—it is likely the bear attacked when Lee and her two dogs came by suddenly, startling her.

"Bear attacks are extremely rare in Vermont. However, at this time of year black bears are moving in family units and mothers will be protective of their cubs. If confronted by a bear it is essential to remain calm and back away slowly, and to fight back immediately if attacked," Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department bear biologist Jaclyn Comeau said in a press release.

There have only been three previous recorded bear attacks in the state, according to Comeau.

The bear hunting season in Vermont begins in September and lasts until November. Hunters are only allowed to kill one bear during the season.

"Fifty years ago Vermont had less than 1,500 bears, and they were found mostly in the mountains and northeastern quarter of the state," Vermont's director of wildlife Mark Scott, said in a press release. "Bears are now found statewide except in Grand Isle County, and although we have successfully increased bear numbers close to 6,000, the human population also has increased, resulting in more encounters between humans and bears. Carefully regulated legal hunting helps control the growth of the black bear population and allows for their sustainable use, while decreasing interactions with humans."

Newsweek has reached out to the the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.

Update 08/24/22, 5:27 a.m. ET: This article was updated to include a new picture.