Simone Jasper
The Charlotte Observer
(TNS)
A dog trapped in a Tennessee cave for days needed to be rescued — but a 200-pound bear made it complicated, officials said.
Charlie the dog was stuck about 40 feet down “an (extremely) narrow cave shaft.” But as crews used ropes to descend into the cave, one firefighter saw an unexpected creature below her feet, according to the Waldens Creek Volunteer Fire Department.
“I could see two little bear feet and a quite large claw grasping onto the wall beside him,” firefighter Tori Downing told WVLT.
In addition to seeing the bear, first responders discovered that the dog was deeper in the cave. That’s when they hatched a plan to save him, firefighters wrote Oct. 11 in a Facebook post.
“The team exited the cave and trail cameras were set up to monitor the cave exit to signal when the bear left,” crews wrote.
When firefighters learned that the bear was gone, crews used ropes to get into the cave and a harness to pull Charlie to safety, photos and video show. Then it was time for the dog to reunite with his owner after three days apart.
“He was dehydrated and hungry, but in otherwise good condition,” officials said.
The multi-agency rescue was reported on English Mountain in the Sevierville area. Sevierville is a gateway to the popular trails of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which extends into North Carolina.
Black bears are found in that region of Tennessee as well as along the state’s border with Kentucky. While bears typically avoid humans, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency urges people to avoid feeding the animals to help reduce the chance of encounters.
What to do if you see a bear
Bear attacks in the U.S. are rare, according to the National Park Service. In most attacks, bears are trying to defend their food, cubs or space.
There are steps people can take to help prevent a bear encounter from becoming a bear attack.
Identify yourself:Talk calmly and slowly wave your arms. This can help the bear realize you’re a human and nonthreatening.
Stay calm: Bears usually don’t want to attack; they want to be left alone. Talk slowly and with a low voice to the bear.
Don’t scream: Screaming could trigger an attack.
Pick up small children: Don’t let kids run away from the bear. It could think they’re small prey.
Hike in groups:A group is noisier and smellier, the National Park Service said. Bears like to keep their distance from groups of people.
Make yourself look big: Move to higher ground and stand tall. Don’t make any sudden movements.
Don’t drop your bag: A bag on your back can keep a bear from accessing food, and it can provide protection.
Walk away slowly: Move sideways so you appear less threatening to the bear. This also lets you keep an eye out.
Again, don’t run: Bears will chase you, just like a dog would.
Don’t climb trees: Grizzlies and black bears can also climb.
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