'She's our hero': Dog honoured after protecting Nipigon, Ont., family from black bear last fall

'She's our hero': Dog honoured after protecting Nipigon, Ont., family from black bear last fall

After bear burst into home in September, Chloe has been inducted into Purina Animal Hall of Fame

A dog from Nipigon, Ont., is being recognized for her efforts to protect her family from a black bear last fall.

Chloe, a mixed-breed, medium-sized dog, has been inducted into the Purina Animal Hall of Fame, which recognizes pets "for their remarkable bravery and unwavering devotion in protecting their owners during life-threatening emergencies," a news release says.

"She's a rescue dog," said Colette Shwetz, who owns Chloe along with her husband, Joe. "We rescued her in May 2019. She was about six months old when she came to us.

"She doesn't like a lot of attention. She's just one of those old soul dogs," Colette said, adding "she's just full of love."

That was certainly on full display the night of Sept. 16, 2025. Chloe was let into the yard, and when she came back in, the bear followed.

"Here we are in my kitchen, the three of us, me, the dog and the bear," Colette said.

Couple injured in bear attack after it entered their home in Nipigon, Ont.

Joe was already asleep, but was woken up by Chloe's barking.

"I got up, run out, went into the kitchen. Chloe had a hind leg, which was the bear, in her mouth, trying to pull it towards the door."

All three managed to get the bear out of the kitchen and into an adjoining hallway, and it then made its way into the basement.

Held off the bear until police arrived

Chloe "stood guard," Colette said, barking and holding the bear off until the police arrived and dispatched it.

"We all ended up with a lot of staples and stitches and a lot of wound care. Chloe, we almost lost her through the bite that she got, but she did really well. We got her through it."

And Chloe also got a steak dinner as a reward, Colette noted.

"She's our hero. I know that without her, I would not be here. That is a 100 per cent certainty."

In a media release, Purina said the Hall of Fame was established in 1968, and has so far recognized 198 animals — 170 dogs, 27 cats, and one horse — "for extraordinary acts of courage and devotion that have helped save lives across Canada."

Chloe isn't the only dog from northwestern Ontario in the hall.

Murph, an Australian Blue Merle Sheepdog from Kenora, was inducted in 1984 after she alerted her owners to a fire in the apartment building they were living in.

Her owners then rushed to notify all the other residents, and all escaped the fire.

Kris Ketonen is a reporter with CBC Thunder Bay. Send story ideas to kris.ketonen@cbc.ca.