A husband and wife were injured in a reported bear attack in Trinity County last weekend. Their French bulldog, who threw herself between the bear and her owner to defend him, later died from injuries sustained in the attack.

“We are still processing an extraordinarily traumatic event that left both of us injured and resulted in the heartbreaking loss of our beloved dog, Cassie,” Jeff and Mallory Wilson said in a statement shared by a friend.

According to a GoFundMe page set up for the couple, Jeff had followed Cassie outside their home and was suddenly attacked, unprovoked, by a cinnamon bear on September 19.

During the attack, Cassie threw herself between Jeff and the bear in an effort to protect him. Mallory awoke to the sounds of the attack and ran outside to help them, at which point the bear turned on her, according to the GoFundMe started by friend Rachel Moscon.

Jeff suffered two broken ribs and numerous bite and claw wounds. Mallory sustained serious injuries to her head and face, and other bite and puncture wounds, according to the page.

A California Department of Fish and Wildlife investigation is underway. CDFW and the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office confirmed there was an incident but would not share additional details.

“We’re aware of the outpouring of community support for those involved in this incident,” said Peter Tira, a spokesperson for CDFW in an email. “CDFW is still investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident and because the investigation is active, we cannot comment on specific details at this time.”

Black bear attacks on humans in California are exceedingly rare. 

From 1986 through 2015, the state recorded about 100 nonfatal human-bear incidents, according to CDFW.

“We have lived alongside wildlife for years and have tremendous love and respect for the animals with whom we share this area,” the couple said in the statement. “This was a shocking and highly unusual encounter, and we do not want our experience used to create unnecessary fear of wildlife or to assign blame. We are cooperating fully with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and are leaving any wildlife-management decisions entirely to the professionals.”

According to the page, the pair is facing emergency medical care bills for Cassie, who died from injuries two days later. Friends are fundraising for medical and travel expenses for Mallory and Jeff, property repair, and their living expenses as they are unable to operate their small business while recovering. The page has raised $12,500 as of publishing time.

The couple expressed gratitude for the compassion and kindness and asked for privacy as they continue to heal and grieve Cassie.