Bear mauls dog walker in Haines, animal not located

A person walking a dog in Haines was attacked from behind by a bear early Saturday and treated at a local clinic for injuries, Alaska Wildlife Troopers said. The bear has not been found.

Troopers and Haines Borough Police responded to the area and were unable to locate or identify the animal, according to the trooper dispatch. That account was posted at 5:19 p.m. Saturday, about 10 and a half hours after the report came in, and describes the search as of that time.

Troopers received the report at 6:52 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. The bear retreated after the initial attack, and the victim was able to go home and call 911. The victim was then transported to a local clinic. The dispatch does not describe the severity of the injuries, does not identify the species of bear, and does not name a specific location in the borough.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game and Alaska Wildlife Troopers are monitoring the situation.

State epidemiologists recorded 68 hospitalizations from 66 bear attacks statewide between 2000 and 2017, and 70% of those hospitalizations occurred between June and September.

Fish and Game's bear country guidance tells people who encounter a bear to "stay calm," ready a deterrent, stand their ground and talk calmly to the animal. "Don't run," the guidance says. For an attack already under way, it says: "If a bear makes contact, you have two choices: play dead or fight back."

The department asks residents to report dangerous wildlife encounters through its wildlife encounter form, at adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=reportwildlifeencounter.main.