Vancouver woman mistakes bear in her yard for a dog

VANCOUVER, Wash. -- A Vancouver woman returned home Wednesday evening to see what she first thought was a large dog in her front yard that turned out to be a bear.

Daniella Mathews jumped into her car, and chased the animal as it ran down her street. She lost sight of the bear when it climbed over her neighbor's fence.

"I jumped out of the car and I pounded on the people whose hose it was, and I was like, 'There's a bear in your backyard.'  I don't think they believed me at first, but I was kind of freaking out,' Mathews said.  "So, they were just like 'Oh, my God!' and their dogs were freaking out."

Mathews then called animal control, but by the time crews arrived the bear was long gone.

"I felt kind of bad chasing him," Mathews said.  "I probably gave him a heart attack, but obviously he's okay enough to hop fences."

Animal control workers said that it's not unusual for bears to come into residential neighborhoods this time of the year.