Sightings of black bear reported in Franklin County

ST. CLAIR, Mo. -- Reports of black bear sightings in Franklin County, Mo., may be the same bear, an official with the Missouri Department of Conservation said.

Meanwhile, a veterinarian believes an injured dog had been attacked by a bear, which is rarely seen in eastern Missouri.

A resident near Anaconda spotted a black bear May 15. Conservation agents found tracks confirming the sighting.

"He was kind enough to walk through a garden," said Bill Kohne, regional supervisor for the conservation department.

About a week earlier, the department had an unconfirmed report that a bear was seen along Highway 100 at Washington, a Missouri River town about 45 miles west of St. Louis.

Soon after that first sighting came a report that a dog had been attacked in a subdivision between Washington and Union. A veterinarian said marks on the dog were consistent with a bear attack, but no tracks or bear hair were found at the site.

Kohne said this is the time of year when it's common for young male black bears to be on the move and sometimes stop if attracted to a ready supply of food like a trash dump. If that happens, agents try to scare the bear away or relocate it, he said.

With no additional sightings over the past several days, Kohne said it appears the bear has moved out of the area.