Grantsville, Maryland - The aggressive bear that was killed a week ago by an Amish Road homeowner after the animal charged and then attempted to pull out a window air conditioner has tested positive for rabies.

On Aug. 29, the homeowners had heard a commotion outside and saw a bear attempting to get at two penned pygmy goats. When the family hollered from its main doorway at the bear, it wheeled and charged the house.

"At first it was pushing on the door and I was holding onto the handle from inside," said Charlotte Stanton. "Mike was going to the gun room to get a gun," she said of her husband.

At that point, Charlotte said the bear left the door and attempted to pull an air-conditioning unit out of a window.

"I was pulling from inside and the bear was pulling on it from outside when Mike got there with the gun," Charlotte added. "There was just enough room to stick out the gun barrel beside the air conditioner. He just stuck it out there and shot and it flattened the bear."

Charlotte said the family consulted with medical staff at Sacred Heart Hospital and decided that all family members, including a 15-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter, would receive post-exposure rabies vaccinations.

Mike contacted the bear when he helped load it onto a state truck, and the son helped Charlotte clean up blood from the animal.
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It,s a good thing they were able to defend themselves, and thank God they are ok!