SIMSBURY/WEST HARTFORD, CT — A West Hartford woman's recent trip to a popular hiking spot in Simsbury last month turned horrific when a bear attacked her dog, injuring it.
According to a GoFundMe page created by Kayleigh Roy, her 10-year-old mixed-breed dog "Phoenix" was badly mauled by a mother bear and her cubs, something she said was a "terrifying encounter."
The incident happened on June 29 at Talcott Mountain State Park in Simsbury, according to the Hartford Courant.
Talcott Mountain is a popular state park and well-used hiking destination that culminates with the Heublein Tower at the summit of the mountain, providing panoramic views of the countryside in the area.
On that fateful day, Roy writes on her GoFundMe, the only view she cared about was the mother bear hauling away her dog into the woods, his neck in her jaws.
"In an instant, Phoenix—my brave 10-year-old pup—put herself between us and danger. She was attacked, dragged into the woods by her neck, and severely injured," wrote Roy on GoFundMe.
That's when Roy went into action to save her beloved pet.
According to Roy, a water bottle was the only weapon she had available. And she used it.
"In a moment I’ll never forget, I ran after them and started hitting the bear in the nose with my Nalgene water bottle. It was the only thing I had—and miraculously, it worked," she said in the GoFundMe post.
"The bear let go, and Phoenix was able to escape. She's alive because of that moment, but she suffered serious trauma and is now facing a long and difficult road to recovery."
The Hartford Courant reports Roy carried Phoenix to her car and rushed him to VCA Veterinary Specialists of CT in West Hartford.
While Phoenix's life was saved during what could have been a fatal bear attack, the emergency care and subsequent surgeries are expensive.
According to Roy, Phoenix may have saved her from being attacked by the bear, as he was between her and the bear when the encounter first happened.
"Phoenix is not just a pet—she’s my heart, my family, and my protector. She saved me, and now I’m doing everything I can to save her," she wrote.
"The emergency vet care, surgeries, and follow-up treatments have already become financially overwhelming."
Simsbury, as well as West Hartford, are noted bear hotspots in the state at the same time bears are, more and more, showing up in backyards, roadways, and even inside businesses and homes.
According to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, as of last month, there were 3,558 bear sightings across Connecticut in 2025.
And that number has gone up since.
There have been 425 bear sightings in Simsbury already in 2025. (You can view the town-by-town bear sightings by clicking here.)
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