Black bears pass through Maple Ridge neighbourhoods every autumn as they fatten up for winter, and dogs meet them in three predictable places: the backyard after dark, around garbage carts, and on forest trails. A leash, a light and a quick look before opening the door prevent most encounters. Any physical contact needs a veterinary check.
Why autumn is the busy season
Maple Ridge backs straight onto mountain forest, and from late summer black bears spend most of the day looking for food to carry them through the winter. Berries in the bush thin out as the weeks go by, and ripe fruit trees, full garbage carts and bird feeders in town become an easy alternative.
For dog owners, that means the bear is not only a trail problem. The encounters that catch people off guard usually happen within sight of the back door.
Moment one: the last trip outside at night
The late evening pee break is the classic encounter. The yard is dark, the dog runs out ahead, and a bear is working through the plum tree or the compost. A dog who charges and barks can turn a bear that was about to leave into one that stands its ground.
- Switch on an outside light and look before you open the door. Listen for a few seconds too.
- Take the dog out on a leash after dark from late summer until bears have denned, which is often not until December here, even in a fenced yard. Bears climb fences with ease.
- Stay with your dog rather than opening the door and waiting inside.
- Call your dog in immediately if they stare, growl or raise their hackles toward the dark. They have usually smelled something you have not.
Moment two: garbage day
A garbage or organics cart left at the curb overnight is an invitation, and dogs walking past in the early morning can find a bear with its head in one. The same goes for carts left beside a garage or under a deck.
- Put carts out on the morning of collection rather than the night before, and store them in a garage or shed between pickups.
- Walk the other way on garbage mornings if you see tipped carts and scattered garbage on your street. That can be a sign a bear has been through recently.
- Keep pet food, bird seed and fish scraps out of carts until the day they go out, or freeze strong-smelling scraps until then.
Moment three: the trail
Trails around Kanaka Creek, the Alouette dykes and the edges of Golden Ears all run through good bear habitat. Most bears move off as soon as they hear people. Trouble comes from surprise at close range, and from dogs who run ahead out of sight.
- Leash your dog on forested trails through the autumn. An off-leash dog that finds a bear tends to run straight back to you, bringing the bear along.
- Talk or call out as you approach blind bends, thick brush and fast water, where a bear may not hear you coming.
- Carry bear spray where you can reach it in a second, and know how to use it. Spray affects dogs too, so use it only when you truly need to.
- Turn around if you come across a carcass, fresh droppings full of berries, or torn-up logs. A bear may be feeding nearby.
If you see a bear
Keep your dog right beside you, and pick up a small dog if you can do it calmly. Do not run. Face the bear, talk to it firmly and evenly so it knows you are a person, and back away slowly, leaving it a clear path to leave. Never get between a bear and cubs or food. If a bear keeps coming toward you, stand your ground, make yourself look as big as possible and have your spray ready. Use the spray if it closes to within a few metres, and if a black bear ever makes contact, fight back with everything you have rather than playing dead. Report bears that are bold, returning to the same yard, or not afraid of people to the BC Conservation Officer Service.
Backyard chickens, bees and fruit trees
Plenty of Maple Ridge properties keep hens or hives, and both draw bears. A bear that learns a coop means food will keep coming back, and a dog guarding that coop is in the middle of it. Electric fencing around coops and hives, properly installed and maintained, is the standard fix, and it keeps bears out in a way a dog on patrol cannot. Pick fruit as soon as it is ready, gather what falls, and consider taking bird feeders down until winter.
After contact of any kind
If a bear has touched your dog, even briefly, bring your dog in the same day. A bear’s claws and teeth can leave small surface wounds over deep bruising, crushed muscle, broken ribs or internal bleeding, and a thick coat hides all of it. Our urgent care team will check your dog over, and X-rays and scans through our diagnostics service show what the skin does not. Some wounds need cleaning and closing by our surgical services team. If it happens outside our hours, including early mornings and statutory holidays, go directly to the closest open emergency hospital.
A dog sprayed with bear spray will be in pain, squinting and drooling. Flush the eyes and face with plenty of cool water and phone us, or the closest open emergency hospital outside our hours. Laboured breathing after a spraying means going in immediately.
Trail safety runs all year here. Our guide to spring hiking safety for dogs in Maple Ridge covers ticks and the other hazards of the trail network.
Frequently asked questions
Will a bear attack my dog?
Most bears avoid dogs and people. Injuries usually follow a dog chasing or cornering a bear, or stumbling onto one at close quarters. Keeping your dog leashed and under control removes most of the risk.
Is a fenced yard enough?
No. Black bears climb fences easily. A fence keeps your dog in, but it does not keep a bear out, so check the yard before letting your dog outside after dark.
My dog barked and the bear ran off. Is that fine?
This time it worked out, but it is not a habit to encourage, because a dog that learns to chase bears is at risk next time. Keep the leash on, praise your dog for coming back to you, and let the bear leave on its own terms.
Do bears go after cats?
It is uncommon, but cats out at night share the yard with whatever is passing through. Keeping cats indoors after dark in autumn is safer for many reasons.
When do bears den for the winter?
Usually once the weather turns cold and food runs out, which in the Lower Mainland is often not until December. Mild winters can keep some bears active even longer, so stay alert well past the end of autumn.
Should I carry bells for my dog?
Bells are not a reliable warning in wind, rain or near rivers. Your voice carries better, and a leash does more than either.
Speak to the team at Haney Animal Hospital
If a bear has made contact with your dog, phone us and come in today, or use the closest open emergency hospital after hours and on statutory holidays.
Published by the team at Haney Animal Hospital.
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for an in-person veterinary examination or advice about your individual pet. If you have an urgent concern about your pet, contact Haney Animal Hospital or your nearest emergency veterinary hospital right away.
Haney Animal Hospital
Unit 112, 11865 227 Street, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6H8
Phone: (604) 476-2525
Hours: Monday to Friday 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM; Saturday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM; Sunday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM; statutory holidays closed