STRAFFORD, Vt. —

A woman is recovering after she was attacked by a bear while walking her dogs on Saturday in Vermont.

The Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife said Susan Lee, 61, of Strafford, was walking her Jack Russel terrier and a labradoodle on her property when the dogs moved out of sight.

As Lee recalled the dogs, she heard a loud noise and discovered a bear was charging her.

Lee told officials she tripped on a stone wall and the bear managed to bite her on her left leg. However, the Jack Russell terrier was able to distract the bear by barking, allowing her and the dogs to get away.

She was able to call 911 and a neighbor took her to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries including the bite and multiple scratches between two and nine inches long on her sides.

Vermont Fish and Wildlife officials investigated the site of the attack and determined that the bear was a female with cubs, and was likely provoked when Lee and her dogs surprised the group.

They were unable to locate the bear.

Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife Bear Biologist Jaclyn Comeau said bear attacks are extremely rare in Vermont, with only three prior attacks on record.

Related video above: 90-year-old woman speaks out after being attacked by a bear

"At this time of year black bears are moving in family units and mothers will be protective of their cubs," Comeau said. "If confronted by a bear, it is essential to remain calm and back away slowly, and to fight back immediately if attacked.”

The Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife has received more than 700 reports of bear conflicts just this year. That number has quintupled the number from a decade ago, the department said.

Vermont's bear hunting season is set to begin on Sept. 1 and continues through Nov. 11.

Related video above: Woman uses 'teacher voice' to coax bear off North Carolina porch deck

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. —

A 500-pound black bear wreaking havoc in the Tahoe Keys community in California was spotted Friday morning and broke into another home, South Lake Tahoe police said.

The bear now has an unofficial name: "Hank the Tank." Named appropriately by the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, Hank added another crime to his rap sheet.

The bear broke into a secured home last week in the Tahoe Keys neighborhood, South Lake Tahoe Police said.

Officers banged on the exterior of the home until Hank escaped out the back door. Officers remained in the area to ensure the bear ran off at a safe distance from the home without damaging any other properties nearby, police said.

South Lake Tahoe police said Hank did not break into a garage where trash was kept, but rather he broke into a secured home through a small window.

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When needed, officers are trained to use deterrents such as loud sirens, dry-firing their tasers and beanbag rounds, police said.

This latest break-in comes as California Department of Wildlife officials, along with South Lake Tahoe police have been dealing with Hank for quite some time. Just in the past two months, Hank has racked up over 150 service calls for break-ins and other issues related to reported sightings, officials said.

Officials say euthanasia is a last resort taken by the Department of Fish and Wildlife, however Hank's past behavior and dependence on human food make relocating the bear very difficult.

As of Friday, no viable relocation site for this bear has been found. While unlikely, the Department of Fish and Wildlife are exploring other options.