Mother says she felt like a ‘rag doll’ during bear attack

A Canadian woman speaks out after surviving a grizzly bear attack thanks to a hair clip and her dog.

According to a press release from the Yukon Conservation Officer Services, the incident occurred on June 30 at around 10:30 p.m. on the Trans Canada Trail.

Vanessa Chaput, 24, told Today She and her German Shepherd, Luna, were jogging along a paved path when they rounded a corner and came face to face with three bears, with a fourth apparently lurking behind her as well.

Luna quickly broke free and chased away two of the smaller bears, leaving Chaput to face a large male bear alone.

The bear attacked as Chaput tried to back away. She tried to hide behind a tree, but the bear quickly tracked her down. “He took my head in his mouth and I landed on the ground,” Chaput said. Today.

At some point during the encounter, Chaput’s hair clip broke in the bear’s mouth. “The clip got crushed and I think the feather part just exploded in its mouth,” she said Inside Edition.

The bear bit Chaput on one arm and suffered injuries to his spine and thighs. Today reported. It also bit her on one arm.

Eventually, Luna returned to the scene and helped chase away the last bear. What happened to the fourth bear is unclear. Miraculously, her dog escaped the incident unharmed.

Authorities believe Luna’s persistent barking may have helped save Chaput’s life. “I am very shocked at my luck,” Chaput said Today“I am eternally grateful that God watched over me that day.”

Chaput said she didn’t remember screaming or feeling pain during the attack, but she did remember “being thrown around by the bear.” “You feel like a rag doll and you can’t do anything,” she added.

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During this ordeal, Chaput thought, “I am not ready to leave my daughter and my husband.”

According to Yukon Conservation Officer Services, Chaput suffered “significant injuries” during the encounter.

She was hospitalized for 10 days and received more than 30 stitches before being discharged, per Today.

According to Yukon Conservation Officer Services, a nearby campground was temporarily evacuated and closed after conservation officers learned that multiple bears were involved in the attack.

A conservation officer euthanized a bear “that was located at the exact location of the attack” immediately after the June 30 incident. “Three other bears matching the description were found in the area and two were euthanized,” authorities added.

The YCOS acknowledged public concerns about the euthanasia of bears following a defensive attack, but said that in such cases “critical decisions are made in the interest of public safety.”

“Officials take this responsibility and the consequences of their decisions seriously,” the agency added.