Cub Is Traveling With Bear Suspected Of Killing Dog In NJ Town, Police Say

SPARTA, NJ — Police provided more details about a pair of black bear attacks in Sparta recently, one of which caused fatal injuries to a resident's Chihuahua.

The incidents took place in neighborhoods off of West Mountain Road. Police believe the attacks were caused by a mother bear traveling with one of her yearlings (an older cub), said Detective Lieutenant Thomas Snyder.

"(The cub) is probably a little bit over a year old, so it's bigger now," he told Patch. "But still, the mom bear would definitely protect it."

There have been no sightings since Monday, and New Jersey Fish and Wildlife is working to trap the bear, police said.

The first attack on Graphic Boulevard took place around 5:31 a.m. on May 9. Snyder said the homeowner heard the bears going through her garbage, and went outside to sound an air horn and frighten them.

Her dogs "slipped past" and ran towards the bear, Snyder told Patch. One of the three dogs was injured and is expected to recover.

The fatal attack took place around 3:21 p.m. on May 13 when the bears were wandering on Mountain Spring Drive, Snyder said. When a homeowner opened her door, the Chihuahua bolted outside and "directly went towards the bear," he said.

"Dogs usually can sense or smell a bear way before we can," Snyder said. "And she said that the Chihuahua will stay by her side and not do that, but unfortunately the other animal was in the area."

Snyder said that staff at Sparta High School, which is less than a mile away Mountain Spring Drive, know to be alert for bears and will be monitoring the campus for sightings.

Police advise residents in the area of West Mountain Road to be cautious outdoors, and take precautions to avoid potential bear encounters. This includes properly securing garbage, and removing any food sources that might attract wildlife such as pet food, bird seed, or residue from a recently-used grill.

Anyone who sees an aggressive bear, or encounters aggressive wildlife, is asked to call the Sparta Township Police Department immediately at 973-729-6121.

In New Jersey, bears are most commonly seen in Morris, Sussex, Warren and northern Passaic counties, as well as portions of Hunterdon, Somerset and Bergen counties. In January of 2022, a bear killed two dogs and injured an 81-year-old woman in two separate attacks.

There were 80 reported bear incidents in Sussex County between Jan. 1 and April 21 of this year, according to the most recent report from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. This includes sightings, nuisance damage, and other encounters.

For more guidelines on protecting yourself, your pets, and your property from black bears, see the video from Sparta Police below:

Original article — Bear Attacks Leave 1 Dog Dead, Another Injured In NJ Town: Officials