Ken Hogue poses for a photograph with his dog Shelby at his home in Anmore, B.C., on Aug. 8, 2011. Mr. Hogue was attacked by a female black bear while walking his dog near Buntzen Lake Monday morning.Darryl Dyck for The Globe and Mail
A provincial conservation inspector says the village of Anmore has to shoulder some blame for a bear attack on a man Monday, noting the community is among many in B.C. that have not done enough to secure the household garbage that attracts such animals.
The man, attacked while out for a walk with his dog, received minor injuries when he came upon a mid-sized, 90-kilogram female black bear and her three cubs.
"It appears to be a surprise encounter situation," Inspector Chris Doyle of the B.C. Conservation Officer Service said in an interview. "The bear broke off the attack on its own. Having said that, having these bears in this community was preventable had there been secure storage of attractants such as garbage."
He said it is a common problem in many B.C. communities.
Insp. Doyle said the suburban village on the north shore of Burrard Inlet near Port Moody is moving to deal with residential garbage as a lure for bears. There have been problems with bears before, although none as serious as Monday's.
Ken Hogue was walking his dog when he came across the female bear and her three cubs. The bears were feeding on garbage, and had previously been seen around the community.
Mr. Hogue told CTV News he came between the bear and the cubs, and that the young bears climbed a tree while the mother confronted him, leaving him with scratches on his arm.
"I thought I was dead meat for sure," he said.
He said he dove out of the way, down an embankment, and the bear broke off the attack on its own. However, the animal was later shot by an RCMP officer.
"There was a conflict history with this bear," Insp. Doyle said, noting that it had gotten into garbage before.
The cubs were taken into custody for transport to an orphaned wildlife centre.
Mayor Heather Anderson, a lifelong Anmore resident, said she has never before heard of a bear attack in the community. She said Monday's attack was a shock for residents who see bears being part of the scenery.
Ms. Anderson said she wouldn't dispute the criticism about local garbage. "I think there's probably some truth to that," she said. "There are people who could take better care of their garbage."
She said the community is moving toward a more "mandated" approach to the problem, compelling households to adopt more secure garbage storage. The goal is to have a plan ready to launch next spring, she said, adding that there's an agenda item on Tuesday's council meeting about bear awareness.
She said the particular bear, identifiable by a yellow tag in its ear that suggested it had previously been relocated, was a familiar sight in the community.
Ms. Anderson said the situation was disturbing. "I was very concerned and shocked that someone out walking their dog could be attacked," she said. "It's tragic. I feel horrible for the man who was attacked and for the bear and cubs."
Ian Bailey