According to authorities, a couple in California suffered “significant” injuries this week after a black bear attacked them outside their home.According to the Mammoth Lakes Police Department, the woman found one of her dogs battling with a 70-pound black bear when she opened her door at around six in the morning on June 8 in Mammoth Lakes, which is located in the Sierra Nevada about 230 miles southeast of Sacramento, FOX News reports. The bear turned on the woman and began to claw and bite her when she stepped outside to try to stop it. When the man emerged, the bear confronted him violently as well. The man fetched a hatchet and repeatedly struck the bear with its blunt end, severely injuring it, while the woman managed to hit the bear with a water bottle.Despite their “significant” injuries, the couple managed to drive themselves to a hospital, according to the police.It is expected that the dog and another dog of theirs that were outdoors when the woman originally opened the door will heal from their minor injuries. The 17-month-old bear was put to death by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife after they concluded it posed a risk to public safety.
