A Florida man was attacked by a black bear on his porch as he tried to protect his dog and his family. The horrifying incident that took place on Wednesday, January 19 night was caught on camera. Daytona Beach resident, Walter Hickox was seen trying to push the invading beast off his property before putting a wooden bench against the entry.
Walter told WFTV that the only thought in his mind while fighting the bear was what would happen to his family if the giant beast got past him and into the house. "Not a lot went through my head at the moment, other than what's going to happen if he gets past me and into the house where the rest of my dogs and my wife were at," he said.
Walter suffered minor injuries during the encounter. His dog or any other family member was not hurt. The bear, however, was not caught, the outlet reported.
Water Hickox suffered minor injuries
Walter's fight with the bear was caught on the home surveillance camera as he tried to shield his dog from the beast. In the aftermath of the incident, Walter told WFTV that he is planning to install a door to the porch and keep some bear spray handy.
"My husband was attacked by a black bear! Please help with his hospital bills and series of rabies shots," Walter's wife said in an Instagram post. She also provided a link to the GoFundMe page the family has set up to raise money to cover his medical costs.
According to FOX35 Orlando, the Florida Fish, and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a statement that FWC bear biologists and law enforcement officers are attempting to capture the bear. "Per FWC policy, staff will humanely kill the bear if captured since it poses a threat to human safety," the statement added.
