Neighbors rush to help man and his dog facing bear in Seminole County

Neighbor helps man attacked by bear

A man was taken to the hospital after deputies say he and his dog were attacked by a bear in their Longwood neighborhood.

LONGWOOD, Fla. - Neighbors in a Seminole County neighborhood said they stepped in to help a man and his dog after the two encountered a black bear earlier this week.

The incident happened Tuesday night in the Alaqua Lakes neighborhood in Longwood, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Jaclyn "Jackie" Coggin, a neighbor who lives nearby, said she was driving down Winding Pine Trail when she "heard what sounded like a dog screaming."

"I rolled my window down and could see in the dark a bear standing over the dog," she said. Coggin said she then drove her car to get between the bear and the man, while flashing her lights to try and scare the animal.

According to the FWC's incident report, Coggin told detectives that she saw the dog barking at the bear, who possibly had a cub with it.

The FWC's report said the man had an injury to his head, which likely came from possibly hitting the pavement vs. a claw from the bear. Medical staff also reportedly confirmed that the man was not injured by the bear.

Deputies searched for the dog but were not able to find it. However, Thursday morning, an FWC spokesperson said the dog was found alive and taken to a vet.

An update on the man's condition was not immediately known.

Clarification: FOX 35 has updated the headline and story to reflect that the man was not "mauled" by the bear. The FWC's incident report said the man had an injury to his head, possibly from hitting it on the pavement, and that it's not believed to have been caused by the bear.