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Columbia County resident Laura-Ann Camissa told News10 ABC in Albany that the attack happened sometime overnight Monday, Oct. 3, at her home in the town of Claverack, where she frequently takes in unwanted donkeys.
She told the outlet that she last saw the miniature donkey, named Lucy, late Monday night in her pen that she shared with her companion, Ricky, and two other donkeys.
Camissa made the horrifying discovery the next morning.
Officials with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) later confirmed that the animal was killed by a black bear.
Camissa’s terrifying ordeal wasn't over, however, as the bear returned to her property again on the same day she buried Lucy, cornering the three remaining donkeys in their pen, the DEC said.
Fortunately, Camissa and her husband spotted the bear and were able to scare it away.
She told News10 ABC that she and her husband will take additional precautions to protect their animals going forward, including putting up an electric fence.
While rare, human encounters with black bears do occasionally happen in New York.
Bear attacks are more likely to occur in the spring and summer months, when the animals seek out human food because natural food sources are harder to find, DEC officials said.
The agency outlined several precautions homeowners can take to reduce their chances of coming face to face with a bear. They include:
- Never keep any food outside, including bird and squirrel food
- Keep garbage in sealed trash cans inside a sturdy building like a garage or shed
- Do not place meat or bones in compost piles
- Remove the grease can from grills after every use
- Do not operate refrigerators or freezers outside as bears can smell what’s inside
- Electric fences are an effective tool to protect chicken coops and livestock
Click here to read the full report from News10 ABC.
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