BELLS FLATS, Alaska — What started as a routine walk with her dog quickly became a frightening fight for survival when Katelynn Lane encountered a mother Kodiak brown bear with her cubs near a salmon stream.
Lane was walking with her dog, Vesper, on Tuesday, Aug. 18, in Bells Flats, a small community about 10 miles from Kodiak, Alaska, when the bear approached and attacked her, according to reports.
The Kodiak Police Department’s preliminary investigation found that Lane had been walking alongside the stream when she came upon the sow and her cubs.
Lane did not have bear deterrents with her at the time. She told Alaska News Source that she tried standard bear safety measures, including making noise and standing her ground, but the bear continued toward her.
Then the encounter turned into an attack.
Her Dog Creates a Critical Opening
Lane said her dog Vesper played a major role in helping her escape.
As the bear moved toward her, Vesper began barking and helped divert the animal’s attention. That gave Lane a brief opportunity to move away and scramble up a vertical slope, where she gained a better position.
Lane said the few seconds created by her dog may have been critical to her survival.
“The moment I knew Vesper was helping me was when she turned back and tried to go after him, which allowed me to turn around and face her,” Lane recalled to Alaska News Source. “Yeah, those couple of seconds where she was distracted was what I would say saved me.”
With the bear temporarily distracted, Lane tried to figure out how she could protect herself.
“And I thought at that time, okay, maybe I have a second to try to gain my bearings and find something to hide behind or put between us,” she added.
But the mother bear eventually turned its attention back toward Lane.
Mother Bear Grabs Her Leg
The bear eventually reached Lane on the hill and grabbed her right leg.
Lane said she was lying on her back with her feet pointed downhill. That position gave her leverage, allowing her to use her legs defensively.
She kicked directly toward the bear’s face. The move appeared to work. The bear backed off and eventually left the area with its cubs.
Looking back at the terrifying encounter, Lane said her limited jiu-jitsu experience may have helped her instinctively find a way to create distance.
“Thinking back on it now, I have done a small amount of jiu-jitsu training actually, and that position I was in was exactly how you would create space in jiu-jitsu, right? You use one leg to kind of block, and you kick with the other leg,” Lane shared.
“I don’t know if that was what made that happen or if that was entirely instinctual, but if a person wanted to attribute it to some sort of training, then I suppose that would be it,” she added.
Attack Lasted About Three Minutes
Lane estimated that the entire encounter lasted no more than about three minutes.
She was also on FaceTime with her father during the incident. After the bear left, Lane called 911 and went to a nearby home for safety while police and first responders made their way to the area.
Although the encounter was frightening, Lane avoided more serious injuries. According to photos she shared with Alaska News Source, she suffered deep bruising and minor scratches along the backs of both legs.
Her dog Vesper was unharmed.
Woman Plans to Return to Walking With New Precautions
Despite the frightening experience, Lane said she does not plan to stop taking walks with Vesper once she has fully recovered. However, she plans to take additional precautions in the future.
Lane has already ordered bear bells for herself and Vesper, saying she wants the pair to make more noise during future walks.
“I need to just build up that confidence again and I will be geared up,” Lane said. “I already ordered myself some bear bells. I ordered Vesper some bear bells as well, so we’ll be nice and loud next go around.”
For Lane, the encounter was a frightening reminder of how quickly an ordinary outdoor walk can change in bear country. Her dog’s intervention, her ability to stay focused under pressure and perhaps even a little jiu-jitsu muscle memory all played a role in helping her survive.
What do you think about Lane’s quick thinking and her dog’s role in the rescue? Share your thoughts in the comments.
