ANCHORAGE, AK — A runner and his dog were attacked by a brown bear Sunday on Anchorage’s new Indian Valley Trail, but he was able to fight off the animal, run seven miles back to his car and later say he was safe. He suffered puncture wounds, scratches and bruising.

At a glance

• Animal: Brown bear, also known as a grizzly bear in inland North America
• Where: Indian Valley Trail in Anchorage, Alaska
• When: Sunday, just after noon
• What happened: Dave Bass said a sow charged him after he and his dog rounded a corner and saw two bears about 50 feet away
• Status: Bass got bear spray into the bear’s face and the animals ran downhill; he later made it back to his car
• Anyone hurt: Bass had puncture wounds to his left wrist, scratches on his back and bruising; his dog was with him and he said it was down the trail after the attack

What happened

Dave Bass said he was less than half a mile from the trail turnaround when the encounter began. He was running with his labradoodle, Milli, and had been thinking ahead about using bear spray if he saw a bear.

He said he and his dog came around a corner and spotted two brown bears about 50 feet away. According to Bass, the sow charged immediately. He struggled to get the safety off his bear spray, then managed to release a short burst directly into the bear’s face.

Bass said the bear hit him hard and bit his left wrist. He curled into a ball to protect his head and believed for a moment that he might die. When the bear moved off and ran downhill, he took stock of the injuries and realized he could still move.

There was no cell service on the trail, so Bass said he started the seven-mile run back to his car. Halfway down, he texted his wife to say he had been attacked by a brown bear and was okay. He later joked that the brown bear emoji in the text helped convince her he really had survived the encounter.

About the animal

Brown bears are large North American bears with a heavy build, a pronounced shoulder hump and long claws. Their coats can range from light tan to dark brown, and their size varies by age, sex and food supply.

They eat a broad diet that can include berries, roots, insects, fish, carcasses and small mammals. In some areas, they also feed on salmon and other seasonal food sources, which can draw them toward trails, streams and neighborhoods near wildland edges.

Brown bears are found in Alaska and parts of the western United States. They usually avoid people, but they can be dangerous when surprised, protecting cubs or feeding in a concentrated area. In Alaska, officials regularly remind hikers and runners to treat every bear encounter seriously.

If you encounter one

Wildlife officials generally advise people to stay calm, keep a bear in view and back away slowly if the animal has not noticed you. If a brown bear is charging, many experts recommend using bear spray when the bear is close enough to stop or redirect the attack.

People should not run from a bear or try to approach it for a photo. Keep children close, leash pets in bear country and travel in groups when possible. Carry bear spray where it can be reached quickly, not buried in a pack.

If a bear is acting aggressively or has injured someone, call Alaska State Troopers, local police or the Alaska Department of Fish and Game as soon as possible after reaching a safe area. Officials also advise reporting the location so they can monitor repeated sightings and warn others.

What happens next

Bass said his wrist tendon was fine, he was on antibiotics and his injuries were treated with a bandage. By the next day, he was back on the trail with bear spray on his hip and his dog on a leash.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game has reported multiple brown bear attacks in the Anchorage area this year, including incidents on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, above the Bear Valley neighborhood, on the Dome Trail and near the Prospect Heights trailhead.

Spotted a dangerous animal where you live? Report it to your state wildlife agency or local animal control.