TOWN OF CORNWALL – A resident
of Gadiri Drive off Mineral Springs Road in the Town of Cornwall was “scratched
pretty good” when a bear wandered into his open detached garage
Sunday night around 9:30 and took a swipe at him, Cornwall Police Chief
Todd Hazard said.
The man was in the garage when he heard a growl, turned around and saw
the small black bear, which took a swipe at him, and clawed him inflicting
a very deep scratch, the chief said.
The man pushed the bear away and ran out of the garage and into his house.
The bear eventually left.
He was treated at the scene by the Cornwall Volunteer Ambulance Corps
and transported to St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital for additional treatment.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation was contacted and both
their law enforcement and wildlife divisions are following up on the incident.
Hazard while bear attacks are extremely rare in New York, residents are
reminded to remove food sources for wild animals whenever possible and
if trash is stored in a garage or outbuilding, doors should be closed
whenever possible.
