Cinnamon Bear Attack Injures Couple and Kills Their French Bulldog in Northern California

A cinnamon bear attacked a rural northern California home on the morning of 19 September, seriously injuring Jeff and Mallory Wilson and ultimately killing their French bulldog, Cassie, who tried to shield them. Jeff Wilson let Cassie outside early that day, and when he went to bring her back a bear appeared, slamming Jeff into the side of the house and breaking two ribs. Mallory woke to the commotion, ran outside and saw the bear holding Cassie in its jaws while Jeff lay bleeding. She struck the bear with a piece of patio furniture; the bear knocked her down, grabbed the back of her head and wounded her neck before fleeing. Both parents suffered multiple bite and claw wounds and required ongoing medical care. Cassie survived the initial encounter but died two days later, as noted in a GoFundMe page set up for the family. A friend writing the appeal said Jeff had two broken ribs and numerous bite wounds, while Mallory sustained serious head, face and neck injuries. The Wilsons run a small hospitality business and have lived alongside wildlife for years, taking steps to coexist peacefully. Their loss is described as heartbreaking because Cassie bravely placed herself between her owner and the bear. ## Context Cinnamon bears are a color variant of the black bear common in the western United States. Recent years have seen a rise in bear‑human conflicts across the American West, partly linked to climate‑driven food shortages that push bears toward residential areas before winter denning.