A Torrington driveway video shows how quickly a black bear moved through a family yard.
TORRINGTON, Conn. — A black bear’s rush toward a 6-year-old boy in a Torrington driveway has drawn new attention to Connecticut’s growing number of bear encounters near homes.
The Saturday incident ended when Bella, a family husky mix, ran across the yard and got between the bear and the child. Home security video recorded at Jeffrey Tazzara’s home shows the animal entering the driveway at speed before the dog chases it away.
Tazzara said the family was preparing to leave for a Fourth of July gathering when Bella began barking sharply. “This was a different kind of bark,” he said. He then saw the bear, his son and Bella in the driveway within seconds of one another.
The bear came within feet of the boy, according to video descriptions released with the footage. Bella caught up to the animal near the middle of the driveway, and Tazzara said the dog bit the bear before it struck a boat parked on the property. The bear then slid under the boat and ran off toward nearby woods.
The encounter did not lead to any reported injury to the boy. Officials have not released a finding on what drew the bear to the property or whether the animal had been seen in the area before Saturday. The video does not show any contact between the bear and the child.
Connecticut wildlife officials have said black bears are becoming more common near residential areas as the population expands. The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection says young bears are especially likely to appear around neighborhoods while searching for food and territory.
State records and local reporting show thousands of bear sightings across Connecticut in recent years, including many in northwestern and central communities. Torrington has repeatedly appeared among towns with frequent sightings, reflecting a broader pattern of bears moving through developed areas close to wooded land.
The state’s response depends on the facts of each bear situation. Wildlife officials say a bear’s presence alone usually does not require removal. Bears that move through a yard often leave on their own, while animals that repeatedly enter buildings or create serious conflicts may prompt a stronger response.
For Tazzara’s family, the state issue became personal in a few fast seconds on a holiday weekend. The driveway, boat and yard seen in the video turned into the scene of a close call that ended with the family dog pushing the bear away.
As of Wednesday, no state action tied to the Torrington bear had been announced. The video remains the clearest record of the encounter, and Bella remains the central figure in the family’s account.
Author note: Last updated July 8, 2026.