Pennsylvania Man Attacked After Being Approached by Aggressive and Rabid Bear: Officials

Mar. 15, 2025

In an update on Thursday, January 23, officials said that “the results of the tests showed the bear was positive for rabies.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In an interview with WYOU, Neirer said that he was walking to the store when the attack occurred, and that he did try to walk away. Still, despite what happened, he added that he sympathizes with the bear.

“They’re hungry. They’re starving. They’re supposed to be in hibernation. This weather is weird lately. Hot, cold, warm, cold. I’m not drained from it," he said, adding, “It could’ve been a lot worse.”

In their statement, the Pennsylvania Game Commission reiterated that “rabies in bares is rare,” and that cases that do pop up are usually isolated incidents. “Rabies poses a risk to all mammals,” they wrote, noting that “male bear[s] typically den alone” which reduces “the risk of other bears being exposed to rabies.”

source: people.com