Photo/Illutration Keiko Konno carries firecrackers and a toy gun and wears a personal alarm and anti-bear bell around her neck as precautions against a possible bear encounter during a walk with her Akita Inu, Aki. This photo was taken on Nov. 13 in Akita city. (Hisaki Tamanaha)

In a recent attack that alarmed pet owners, a woman in her 70s from a mountainous community in Akita city lost her beloved dog when it was dragged off by a bear.

“My dear dog was really nice and friendly to people,” she said. “The incident was so shocking that I do not even want to remember it.”

According to the Akita prefectural police and other sources, the woman's 4-year-old Shiba Inu was abruptly attacked by a bear at her home at around 11:15 a.m. on Nov. 11.

A mountain forest lies behind the woman’s residence. The canine was usually kept chained in a doghouse outside its owner's home.

The woman was inside her home at the time and hearing her dog barking, she reportedly looked outside and found a bear pouncing and dragging her dog away along with its doghouse.

The kennel afterward was discovered near the forested mountain. But the canine's whereabouts remain unknown.

“We had just gone for a walk together 30 minutes before my dear pet was mauled,” the woman said, suddenly pausing at a loss for words. “It might have sacrificed itself in my place.”

Dog owners in Japan are increasingly concerned that their pets may be similarly victimized by bears as reports circulate nationwide of canines being kept outdoors coming under attack.

Pet lovers are similarly fearful of the growing possibility of encountering bears while taking their dogs for a walk.

Amid the steady stream of bear sightings, a canine owner is carrying around firecrackers to scare them away.

Anxiety will apparently continue at least for some time to come among residents with pets.

In October, another Shiba Inu is believed to have been attacked by a bear in Odate, Akita Prefecture.

On Oct. 25, “a bear grabbed a pet dog and fled into the forest” was reported in Osaki, Miyagi Prefecture.

The succession of bear attacks are rendering canine enthusiasts much more vigilant.

Homemaker Keiko Konno, 48, makes it a daily habit to stroll with her Akita Inu while blaring a handheld sound generator. On a recent day, she was making a “bang, bang, bang” noise at a park in a residential area in Akita city.

“I cannot stand the thought of something horrible happening to my dog,” Konno said. “But the problem is that keeping it indoors all day would cause it to be stressed out.”

In addition to the sound generator, Konno carries firecrackers and a toy pistol and also wears a personal alarm and a specialized bell around her neck to deter bears by signaling the presence of a human.

Though it is surrounded by apartment buildings, an elementary school and a day nursery in the neighborhood, the area in the central part of the city is currently reporting a constant stream of bear sightings.

“It is abnormal for bears to show up in an urban area like here,” Konno said. “I can no longer go out in peace.”

On the morning of Nov. 15, a 58-year-old male company employee was walking alongside his small Pomapoo mixed breed in Senshu Park in central Akita city, a popular walking course for dogs and their owners.

“I am afraid of a potential encounter with a bear,” the man said. “I now start our walks two or three hours later than before. I have likewise changed our walking route to go through places with more of a human presence. I want to be able to stroll safely again soon.”

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