Man Fights 350-Pound Bear to Save His Rescue Pit Bull: 'I Would Die for My Dog'

A California man punched a 350-pound bear in the face, all to save man’s best friend. Kaleb Benham of Nevada County said he rushed into action after he saw his beloved pit bull, Buddy, in the jaws of the giant mammal.

“Honestly, the only thing I could think of was, ‘Save my baby,’” Benham told KOVR. “If it was your kid, what would you do? That’s my kid. I would die for my dog,”

Benham explained it was the day before Thanksgiving when Buddy, who he rescued from a shelter a few years ago, had been playing outside his home. That’s when Benham heard a growl, and noticed the bear dragging Buddy by the head, he told KOVR.

Immediately, he rushed into action.

“I just ran down there, plowed into the bear, tackled it and grabbed it by the throat and started hitting it in the face and the eye until it let go,” Benham said.

He successfully freed his poor dog from the grips of the bear, but Buddy’s life was still in danger. The pit bull had suffered extensive injuries, and the nearest veterinary hospital was closed after someone tested positive for COVID-19.

Luckily, Benham was able to transport Buddy to the next closest veterinary hospital just in the nick of time. For the next three and a half hours, Buddy was in surgery, receiving staples, stitches and tubes in his head to drain fluid.

Buddy is now on his way to making a speedy recovery, but Benham told KOVR he’s continuing to look out for his pup as the bear returned to their home several times since the attack.  

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