A dog reported killed in the Bear Valley bear attack turned up alive

The dog reported killed in Saturday's brown bear attack above Anchorage's Bear Valley neighborhood is alive and uninjured. Another hiking party came across the off-leash dog after the encounter and returned it to its owner.

The hiker who was hurt was carried out from the Brewsters Drive area by Anchorage police, wildlife troopers, and the fire department.

Fish and Game's account points to a surprise rather than a stalking. The bear came out of dense alders along a narrow, switchbacked trail where visibility is poor, and while the hikers were making noise, high winds and rough weather may have swallowed it. A moose kill reported nearby raises the possibility the bear was guarding a cached meal.

The agency is posting warning signs and flagging trailheads in the area while it monitors bear activity. It also notes that trails across Anchorage are badly overgrown right now, which makes these surprise encounters more likely — the argument for hiking in groups, making noise, and carrying deterrent.