Pennsylvania business owner punches bear in the nose

June 2 (UPI) -- An east Pennsylvania business owner who initially mistook a black bear for his dog said he punched the animal in the nose and slammed his door to get away.

Ed Crimi, an antique dealer in Buckingham, said he was working Thursday morning when he heard what he thought was his dog, Chewy, sniffing at the door.

"And then I reached out to touch my dog and that's where the bear was. So I jumped back and hit him. I punched the bear in the nose, moved back in, closed the door and banged on the door," Crimi told WPVI-TV.

Crimi and his employees said the bear ran up a nearby tree, which still bore the animal's claw marks later in the day.

The antique dealer said the bear might have been attracted to his property by the animal statues he keeps outdoors.

"I think we both scared each other," he said.

Buckingham Police Chief Mike Gallagher said the bear was spotted the previous evening.

"Wednesday night at about 9:30 p.m., residents saw a bear in the rear of Holicong Middle School. Our officers responded, were able to locate that bear," Gallagher said.

Doylestown Borough tweeted a photo of a bear spotted in a residential neighborhood Thursday morning. The bear is believed to be the same animal that wandered through Buckingham.