Good luck with that lame "outdoorsy" attempt, Barky!
a piece of salmon that had been previous gnawed on by an animal
They didn't mention is in the article, but Vlad was out making gnawed salmon deliveries in the neighborhood that day:
It's unclear whether the animal that gnawed the salmon was Vlad, his bear, or both. Not that it would matter to Barky - he's scared of either animal...