A Yorkshire terrier named Benny has become an internet favorite after a video showed him chasing a full-grown black bear around his family's backyard in Buncombe County, North Carolina. The bear climbed a tree, came back down, and then left over the back fence, according to TMZ and other outlets that shared the footage first posted by Asheville station WLOS.

In the clip, someone off camera can be heard calling "Benny, Benny, NO!" as the small dog gives chase. The video was credited to John and KC Murdoch. Benny's owner told ABC News that the Yorkie "goes after any animal in our yard regardless of size."

The ending was lucky — and not guaranteed. Wildlife officials say a bear that feels cornered by a dog can turn and fight, and this video was recorded in a county where state data show bears killed five pets and injured two others between May and September.

Barking Often Sends Bears Up a Tree

Benny's success is not as strange as it looks. Black bears are generally wary animals, and a loud, fast-moving dog can seem like a threat. The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources says bears that hear barking dogs "may feel nervous and react most commonly by fleeing." Some stand up to size up the threat, stay still, or climb a tree, which is exactly what this bear did.

Climbing is a black bear's built-in escape. That instinct is also why hunters in some states use hound packs to tree bears. A treed bear is usually waiting for the threat to leave, not planning an attack.

But the same agency warns that the pattern can flip. A bear may be "provoked into defending themselves through fighting or chasing off the dog" when a dog keeps pushing toward it, and especially when cubs are nearby. A dog that gets hurt often runs back to its owner, and the bear can follow it.

A County with a Bear Problem

The video comes at a tense moment for western North Carolina. Between May 1 and Sept. 30, residents and wildlife officials filed 836 reports of human-bear interactions in Buncombe County, about 5.5 a day, WLOS reported. Those included 71 reports of bears entering homes, five pets killed, two pets injured and two residents hurt. The county accounted for 43% of all bear reports statewide over that period.

In response, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission approved an emergency rule on Oct. 1 that bans both intentional feeding of bears and passive feeding in Buncombe County. Passive feeding includes leaving out unsecured trash or pet food. The temporary ban took effect Oct. 19, and a violation is a Class 3 misdemeanor, Fox Chattanooga reported. A public hearing was scheduled for Oct. 21 in Asheville, and the rule could become permanent in January.

"The goal is not punishment, but prevention," said Maj. Chad Arnold of the commission. Commission black bear biologist Jenna Malzahn said the rise in conflicts is "primarily due to people feeding bears or leaving unsecured food attractants."

Fall raises the stakes. During a phase called hyperphagia, black bears jump from 2,000 to 3,500 calories a day to as many as 15,000 to 20,000, foraging up to 20 hours a day, WECT reported, citing state BearWise coordinator Ashley Hobbs.

When Encounters Go Wrong

Not every bear backs down — and some encounters end with injuries. In August, a female bear with three cubs entered a Reems Creek-area home in northern Buncombe County through an unlocked door and injured a resident who was trying to get it out. Officials said the bear had repeated access to pet food. Washington wildlife officers killed a black bear on Oct. 18 after it chased a couple's dog and then attacked a woman near Cusick, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. That bear had been wounded by a hunter the day before.

Small dogs face particular danger. A bear can injure or kill a dog Benny's size with one swat. Large dogs can also get badly hurt, and owners who step in to separate the animals put themselves within reach of the bear.

Keeping Pets and Bears Apart This Fall

Wildlife agencies agree on the core advice: don't let your dog chase a bear. Check the yard before letting pets out, especially at dawn and dusk, and keep dogs leashed on walks. If a bear shows up while a dog is outside, call the dog back and go indoors. Then scare the bear off from a safe spot with loud noise, an air horn, or a hose.

If a dog and bear do start fighting, Virginia's guidance is blunt: "DO NOT try to separate them or get in between your dog and the bear." Use noise, bear spray, or water from a distance. Call 911 if anyone is injured.

Bear-proofing removes the reason a bear visits at all. Feed pets indoors, take down bird feeders until winter, store trash in a locked building or bear-resistant container, clean grills and block access under decks and crawlspaces. In Buncombe County, those steps are now also a legal requirement under the emergency rule.

North Carolina residents can report bear problems to the N.C. Wildlife Helpline at 866-318-2401, or 800-662-7137 after hours. The commission is still reviewing public comments on the emergency rule.

The bottom line: Benny's chase worked because this bear chose to retreat, which black bears often do. In a fall when hungry bears are entering homes and killing pets in Buncombe County, the safer plan is to keep dogs away from bears and take away the food that draws them in.

What Readers Want to Know

What happened in the video?

A Yorkshire terrier named Benny chased a black bear around his backyard in Buncombe County, N.C. The bear climbed a tree, came down, and left over the fence.

Why did the bear run from such a small dog?

Black bears are often wary, and barking dogs commonly make them flee or climb a tree, according to wildlife agency guidance.

Is it safe to let a dog chase a bear?

No. A bear that feels cornered or is protecting cubs may fight back, and a small dog can be killed with a single swat.

What should I do if my dog meets a bear?

Call the dog back and go inside. If they fight, don't step between them. Use noise, bear spray or a hose from a distance, and call 911 if anyone is hurt.

What is the new Buncombe County bear rule?

A state emergency rule, in effect since Oct. 19, bans intentional and passive feeding of bears, including leaving out unsecured trash or pet food. Violations are a Class 3 misdemeanor.

How can I bear-proof my yard this fall?

Feed pets indoors, remove bird feeders, secure trash, clean grills, and block access under decks and crawlspaces.