A seven‑year‑old dog from Nipigon, Ont., is being celebrated after she helped save her owners during a terrifying encounter with a black bear that forced its way into their home late at night.
Chloe, a mixed‑breed family dog, has been named a Purina Animal Hall of Fame Award recipient after protecting her owners, Colette and Joe Shwetz, during an unexpected black bear intrusion on Sept. 16, 2025.
Colette explained that she opened the door around 11 p.m. to let Chloe out for her usual nighttime routine. As the dog walked down the deck stairs, she came face‑to‑face with a black bear hiding behind the railing.
Chloe quickly bolted back up the stairs — but the bear followed. When Colette opened the door to let her dog inside, she said the bear charged through the doorway, knocking her to the ground.
“And the next thing I remember, the 300‑pound bear is on top of me. I remember screaming, ‘help me, please someone help me,’” Colette said in the release.
The bear began biting and scratching her as she struggled beneath it.
Inside the home, Chloe raced to wake Joe, who was asleep and wearing a loud CPAP machine. When Joe rushed to help, the bear turned its attention toward him. Together, and rather incredibly, the couple and their dog managed to push the bear down the basement stairs.
Local police later told the family that each time the bear tried to climb back up, Chloe charged toward it, barking and forcing it back down.
“The bear was scared of her,” Colette said.
With Chloe holding the bear at bay, Joe said he was able to call 911. Officers arrived and safely ended the incident.
Chloe suffered serious bite and scratch wounds and required multiple stitches — as did her owners. Despite her injuries, Chloe never stopped defending her family.
“She is our hero,” Colette said.
Purina says Chloe’s courage and determination make her a deserving inductee into the Purina Animal Hall of Fame, which recognizes animals who go above and beyond to save human lives.
The program has honoured more than 180 animals since 1968 — and Chloe now joins that list as one of Canada’s most heroic pets.
