Bear attacks woman in her front yard, drags her 88 yards, officials say

A woman and her dog were attacked by a bear in front of their Pennsylvania home Wednesday, according to officials.

The bear grabbed the woman as soon as she walked out of her home in Muncy Creek Township -- about 70 miles west of Scranton -- and dragged her for 88 yards, Pennsylvania Game Warden Supervisor Mike Steingraber told ABC News.

The woman was able to free herself and call for help, Steingraber said, adding that her dog was also injured.

It is not clear why the bear attacked the woman, but gaming officials believe that it was either attracted to body parts of a deer that were present or that bear cubs were in the area and the mom may have felt threatened, Steingraber said.

Up to six game wardens are now tasked with finding the bear, which is difficult at the moment because there is no snow on the ground, Steingraber said. Multiple bear traps have been set up, he added.

Steingraber said it was the first bear attack on a human that he could recall in the region. Bear attacks are "extremely rare" because most bears are scared of humans, he said.

The victim required surgery, ABC Scranton affiliate WNEP reported.

Additional details were not immediately available.