Home security video shows Bella, a husky mix, chasing the bear away from a Torrington driveway.
TORRINGTON, Conn. — A family dog ran between a charging black bear and a 6-year-old boy in a Connecticut driveway Saturday, chasing the animal away as home security video captured the close encounter.
Bella, a husky mix owned by Jeffrey Tazzara, is being credited by the family with stopping the bear before it reached the child. The video, recorded outside Tazzara’s Torrington home and later shared through Storyful, shows the bear moving quickly toward the boy before Bella crosses the yard and cuts between them.
Tazzara said he was packing up for a Fourth of July party when he heard Bella barking in a way that sounded different from her usual noise. “A vicious bark, not like she barks and yips and howls,” Tazzara said. Moments later, he saw the bear in front of his son and Bella closing the distance.
The footage shows the boy backing away as the bear runs up the driveway. Bella reaches the bear, circles behind it and drives it away from the child. Tazzara said Bella bit the bear in the rear before the animal crashed into a boat parked nearby, slid underneath it and ran between homes toward the woods.
No injuries to the child were reported in the accounts released with the video. The bear’s condition was not known. State wildlife officials have not said whether the same bear was later located. The animal appeared to leave the property after the brief encounter.
The incident comes as Connecticut continues to see more black bears near homes. The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection says the bear population has grown for decades and that more young bears are appearing in residential areas. Torrington has been among the Connecticut communities with frequent bear reports.
Wildlife officials say the presence of a bear does not always mean it will be removed. The agency says most bears move on when left alone, while food sources such as garbage, pet food and bird feeders can draw them closer to houses. The state seldom relocates bears.
Tazzara said Bella already lives comfortably at home, with treats and freedom around the property. Still, he said the family planned to reward her after the close call. Bella was expected to get steak at the family’s next steak night.
The video continued to circulate nationally Wednesday as the family described Bella as protective and calm after the encounter. State officials have not announced any enforcement action or public briefing tied to the Torrington case.
Author note: Last updated July 8, 2026.