The Grizzly Bear is California’s state animal. Its likeness is on the state flag and seal.
This is not about grizzly bears, but it happened in California.
It’s about a man and his dog, a pit bull named Buddy. Buddy and his man, Kaleb Benham, were outside playing on You Bet Road, where they live. Kaleb heard a growl. Then he saw Buddy, who weighs 90 pounds, being dragged away by a black bear that had Buddy’s head in its mouth.
Black bears eat ants and pawpaws and fish. Reptiles. They root around in trash cans and pot fields. And they’ll eat other mammals.
Kaleb loved Buddy so much that a 350-lb. bear didn’t stop him from charging in to save his dog. Kaleb tackled the bear, grabbed it by the throat and hit it in the face and eye until the bear released the dog.
Buddy underwent hours of surgery. He’s fine.
And everybody lived happily ever after and that’s why we like this story.
Pic by gainesp2003 via creativecommons.org