Terrifying video shows New Jersey couple's close encounter with black bear trying to break into their house

The couple's dogs can then be seen hurriedly entering the house, with a young black bear pursuing them

Published on: Jul 10, 2023, 07:28:48 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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A New Jersey couple had a scary encounter with a bear which tried to break into their house after chasing their dogs. Joseph Damiani recalled how he was barely dressed when he heard his dogs barking outside his home in Annandale on May 15. A frightening video shows Joseph, dressed in a white shirt and black underpants, standing and trying to figure out why his pooches were making a commotion at night.

According to responding state wildlife officials, the bear may have wanted what was in the couple's birdfeeders (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik - Representational image) (AP)

The dogs can then be seen hurriedly entering the house, with a young black bear pursuing them. Joseph’s terrified girlfriend screams as the bear rams its head against the door. The bear tries to break into the house, pushing to get inside, but Joseph exits the porch and saves himself swiftly. The bear eventually gives up and walks away.

"I hear a bunch of 'woof, woof, woof,'" Joseph recalled during a conversation with CBS News. "The dogs shoot right past me and then I see the bear ... And then the dogs went in. The bear tried to charge into the house."

Joseph’s girlfriend, Shirley Perlinsky, was at the door, although she is not visible in the video. "When [the dogs] came inside the house, I just tried to lock the door, but I couldn't because the door got caught in the leash. So I was fighting, I was fighting the bear. The bear was pushing the door this way, I was pushing the door that way," Shirley said. "That's my boyfriend, and I love him very much, but I couldn't let the bear inside my house."

"They say you're supposed to back off and look the entire time. I didn't do that. I just turned around and without even looking back, I went down the steps there, came in through that gate, that white fence and came around the front," Joseph added.

According to responding state wildlife officials, the bear may have wanted what was in their birdfeeders. There was an attempt to capture the animal, as it was aggressive. The couple now keeps their birdfeeders empty and puts their trash away properly.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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