Collier Teens Save Pet From Bear Attack (FReeper's dog and kid involved).

WINK TV via SOUNDOFF ^ | 10-13-03 | Tim Wetzel

[AAABEST]

Golden Gate Estates -

Two Collier County teens had a frightening encounter when they were walking their dog. The sheltie -- named Sparkle -- got into a fight with black bear. The bear was guarding its cub and Sparkle wanted to guard his owners.

If the dog wouldn't have been there we would have probably walked right into the bear," said Matt Wojciechowski, 18. Matt and his brother were in the backyard when Sparkle began to bark, they then say the bear just feet away. "It was probably 8 feet tall, I've never seen one that big."

Sparkle and the bear soon when at it, but Sparkle wasn't much of a match. That's when Matt stepped in. "I went under and just grabbed my dog and threw him." Matt wasn't hurt -- he says he didn't even think of the danger. "I'm not going to let a bear kill my dog. All I was thinking about was getting my dog away and that's it," said Wojciechowski. The dog had more than 50 stitches and five bite wounds.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says this isn't the first they've heard of bears in the area; this year they've had about 300 complaints about bears in this neighborhood. Soon they are going to start handing out flyers warning neighbors of the danger.

Matt's grandmother is just happy the teens are safe. "Those boys getting that dog away from the bear could've turned into such a tragedy," said Chris Scarinzi. "I mean we feel bad for the dog but thank god the boys are ok that's the most important thing."

Fish and Wildlife officials say it's important to keep garbage and animal food away so bears aren't tempted to come close to homes and pets. The best thing to do if you see a bear, is to slowly back away.

[CARepubGal]

Brave Sheltie Ping!

[skr]

May God speed Sparkle's recovery. A terrifying situation!

[Tamzee]

I'm so glad your son is safe! :-) I can sympathize with your situation there, too. I live in an area in PA famous for our black bears, the largest in the country and our neighborhood has an average of 3 black bears per square mile. We even have a monster male that weighs about 800 lbs that I call Everest, he's fond of my parents yard a few streets away from me and I see him often. They get into houses and basements here occasionally, too, and one helped himself into the kitchen and explored the refridgerator in my parents' house while the previous owner lived there.

People being threatened by the bears happens only very rarely, though, and has usually been instigated by a dog on the scene. Twice owners have gotten hurt in my neighborhood after their dogs growled at and agitated a bear. Fish and Game has had to destroy a couple of bears recently that began acting aggressively toward people, but generally we don't have problems as long as we are careful not to get near them accidentally and never, ever leave food or garbage outside or on our porches. Pepper spray is supposed to work really well if you or a pet winds up tangling with an aggressive bear despite the precautions. I've never had to use it, thank goodness!

I'm so happy your brave son made it through his close encounter with one safely :-)

[countrydummy]

Oh my Gosh! Praise the Lord, Tony's son was not hurt!

[stainlessbanner]

It was probably 8 feet tall

Florida black bears don't get that size.

[countrydummy]

ping back to you Tony!

[farmfriend]

Well at least there's an area in the North Pole that doesn't seem to belong to the black bear, according to your map anyway.

That is because it belongs to the white bear.

[Rebelbase]

"Florida black bears don't get that size"

Up close and personal like that kid was I'd bet it looked 10' tall.

[Rebelbase]

"Big Cypress Preserve"

I spent my teen years tromping all over that swamp, both wet and dry seasons. It is one beautiful place.

[Grampa Dave]

Great Story!

Way to go Matt!

Of course Tony probably kicked Matt's butt when he got home and then hugged him. The butt kicking was for what he did, and the hugs were for what he did.

Does Matt wrestle or play linebacker/defensive back? He sound very much like someone I know very well.

[TonyWojo]

Not a wrestler Dave, but a pole vaulter.

There was a Steve with the same last name that played basketball for Duke. Also was a Player on the Chicago Bears a few years back with that long last name. There currently is a reporter for I believe ESPN with the last name of Wojciechowski, believe it or not it is a common name. Especially in the Chicago area.

[Hatteras]

Hey, I had a brave sheltie growing up. He used to defend our home from helicopters! When he finally passed away, he left a trail in a perfect arc from one fence gate on one side of the house to the other fence gate on the opposite side of the house, all from chasing those evil flying monster helicoptery things.

[Grampa Dave]

He sounds like a great son.

Wrestlers, pole vaulters and guys/gals who are by themselves do stuff like this.

My oldest son is mid thirty something, and I still hear about him doing things that most of us wouldn't think about doing.

Matt sounds like a great young man. He will not stand by and let others do his responsibilities. Wojo

---

is a fairly common name in the Chicago/Milwaukee area.

Good to hear from you.

[Arthalion]

Also correct (in word and deed :-), but try that in Yosemite and you will quickly learn what the real dangers in the woods really are.

Funny thing that. I was actually hiking from Emigrant Lake to Tuolumne Meadows. I ran into and shot the bear literally two or three miles from the Yosemite National Park border. Since there were about twenty witnesses to the shooting, I decided that continued travel into Yosemite would be a bad idea and doubled back. Good thing too...I was intercepted by a ranger on horseback later that day who wanted the full story on what had occured. I somehow don't think he believed me when I stated that I had "no plans" to enter Yosemite with a firearm :-)

In truth, however, I won't enter the backcountry unarmed, and I HAVE shot at an animal in Yosemite before. I shot at a stalking mountain lion near the foot of Mount Clark in 1997...deliberately missed the cat, but I did scare it off (which was my goal). Yes, I know that the penalties for carrying a firearm in a national park are steep, but I'd rather face prosecution for killing a charging animal than bury one of my kids...or have them bury me.

[Rodney Dangerfield]

Time to implement a Bear Tax, like Mayor Quimby did.

[Rodney Dangerfield]

Time to implement a Bear Tax, like Mayor Quimby did.

[megawatti]

I'm glad the bear didn't kill Matt or his dog. If a bear attacks my kitten I hope Matt is nearby to save her. :) I don't think I would be brave enough to try to do it.

[Ditter]

Do I see a tiny speck of green on the east end of Long Island & Cape Cod? I don't think I believe there are bears in either place. Correct me if I am wrong.

[CARepubGal]

Dogs are wonderful and soooo brave! My dog hates all things with wheels going by his house and he will valiantly defend us from the "big bad wheely things!" ;-)

[Celtic Conservative]

taking on a Bear?, with a 12 gauge? try : A. walking away, slowly at first , followed by a leisurely session of haul- ass, or if you must shoot at the bear, B. a barrett sniper rifle

slainte,

CC