ORANGE CITY, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida man was bitten by a bear after the animal got ahold of his dog last month, according to NBC affiliate WESH.

On Dec. 20, Blake Sprout, of Volusia County, said he let his dogs out to use the bathroom at their home.

“As soon as I opened the door, there were three bears there,” he told WESH. “Before I could stop my dogs, they just ran out to the bears.”

That’s when the bear reportedly grabbed Sprout’s Pomeranian mix, named Karen, and wouldn’t let her go.

“I couldn’t let her die,” Sprout told WESH. “She was screaming in pain.”

After kicking the bear to get it to release his pup, the bear attacked Sprout and bit him in the stomach, the report said.

The bear reportedly shifted his focus back onto the dog, and ran down a road, holding Karen in its mouth. Sprout said he threw rocks at the bear until it dropped his dog.

WESH reported that Sprout and Karen are both recovering. Karen got several stitches, while Sprout got rabies shots.

Now, the family is taking extra precautions.

“I’m more cautious when I come outside, and I check before I walk out with the dogs,” Sprout said.

According to WESH, Florida Fish and Wildlife set out traps, capturing a female bear and three female cubs in the area, who were all safely relocated.

For more information on dealing with black bears in Florida, click here.