DELAND, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35 ORLANDO) -
Greg Mapp says he lost a family member, his dog Molly. "She was a great guard dog and she was 14 years old," he told us.
Late Saturday night, a huge black bear got into the yard of his DeLand home. Mapp was standing on the side of the house when he heard Molly barking loudly, so he walked over to check it out.
"I saw the bear and her, they were on their hind legs, and this bear dwarfed her. She went toe to toe with this bear, but it finally flipped her on her back and um mauled her."
Molly's injuries were so bad she had to be euthanized. Mapp says the bear had to be over 300 pounds. Patricia Peacock, says she spotted the bear in her tree Wednesday night.
"All of a sudden I see this huge thing. It comes down, comes toward my direction freaking out, cuz I'm no competition for a bear."
A Fish and Wildlife Commission official said they believe the bear was going for the dog's food that was outside in a dish. Given the severity of the attack, and that the bear has made several appearances in neighbors yards, wildlife officials say they are planning on setting a bear trap in the next few days.
