GULF BREEZE DOG KILLED BY BEAR

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says a dog was killed by a black bear in Gulf Breeze Sunday night. A resident at a home on Vestavia Way said just after 10 p.m. a female bear with cubs encountered the dog and killed it. Another nearby resident shot in the direction of the bear, but FWC said it doesn’t believe the bear was seriously injured. Biologists said they will set a trap in the area. Bear sightings have become increasingly common in southern Santa Rosa County as habitat disappears and more houses are built.