A A Florida native he was bitten in the stomach last month by a black bear cub when he tried to end a fight between the beast and his family's beloved dog.
Blake Sprout said his dog was chasing the bear cub, which was near its mother and two other cubs, after taking the dog out of his Volusia County home about midnight Dec. 20, FOX 35 Orlando report.
“He growled and charged and grabbed me on my stomach,” Sprout told the bear news agency.
LOST VIRGINIA DOG RETURNS AFTER 6 MONTHS EXCITING: 'ALMOST HOPELESS'
Blake Sprout was attacked by a black bear last month while trying to protect his dog. (WOLF)
The a dog, a Pomeranian named Karenhe was attacked first, he said.
“There were three bears, and my dogs saw them and just ran at them,” he said.
A neighbor captured the attack on video, which shows Lehmela running into the yard to intervene as the bear had Karen in its mouth.
“I ran up to it and kicked it in the chest to knock it over,” Sprout explained.
LOST DOG RESCUED AFTER 18 HOURS TRAPPED IN MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY: WINNER WAS 'OUT'
Blake Sprout shows a bear bite wound to his stomach. (WOLF)
Sprout said she intervened when Karen was being attacked because she is “part of the family.”
She said: “I couldn't sit there and watch him die. My kids love him. “I couldn't just tell them at Christmas, 'Our dog is gone.'
The bears were later captured by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and relocated.
Blake Sprout holds his dog, Karen, after a small bear attack. (WOLF)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“FWC bear management staff set traps at the site and successfully captured three cubs and an adult female bear, and relocated them to a family group,” the agency said in a statement.
In Florida, it is legal to shoot and kill bear in self-defense or protection of property.