08/15/2026
Monday morning, when Christina—our receptionist that day—checked the voicemail and heard “Bears (PLURAL) in the house” she was a little nervous to even bring it in.
How could an 8-pound dog have an encounter with a bear—and, as we’d later learn, a mama bear and her cub—and not need emergency care? However, we know blue and their owner well.
Had Blue been critical or unstable, they would have been at the emergency clinic that night. Instead, nearly 12 hours later, Blue arrived sore, and understandably not herself—but remarkably stable.
And one small clarification to an otherwise pretty incredible news story: it wasn’t a broken leg—it was a broken toenail, along with the puncture wound mentioned.
That’s it.
Eight pounds. Two bears. One puncture wound and a broken nail. We’re still trying to wrap our heads around it.
Blueberry is genuinely one of the sweetest little dogs we care for. Apparently, she’s also one of the fiercest.
Maybe the bears really were looking for blueberries. They just picked the wrong one.
And as incredible as it is to live somewhere this beautiful, stories like Blue’s are a good reminder to stay bear-aware—especially with open doors and brave pets.
As Susan so perfectly stated in the article “They live here, too. I’m on their land as far as I’m concerned.”
Susan Brown was working in an upstairs office overflowing with books, papers, and photographs on Aug. 9 when she heard her 8-pound dog, Blue, barking downstairs. Brown, 80, walked toward the living room and found an adult female black bear and one of her cubs inside. Blue was trying to confront them...
