SEATTLE (AP) — When Washington Fish and Wildlife agents are tracking down bears that threaten homes or people they depend on Karelian bear dogs.
The department owns four of the dogs but the program is funded by donations.
Capt. Bill Hebner at the Mill Creek office told KOMO-TV (http://is.gd/G0dm78 ) the program is scraping by. One of the dogs, Cash, just ran up $4,000 in veterinary bills for surgery that put a plate and five screws into an injured left knee. It could be months or years before Cash is chasing bears again.
The department hopes to add two more bear dogs next month.
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Information from: KOMO-TV, http://www.komotv.com/
