Dogs attacked with bear mace by home intruders in Detroit

DETROIT (FOX 2) - A woman's three dogs were sprayed with bear mace after intruders broke into her Detroit home earlier this month.

The owner, Nicole Myint, says the dogs are still affected.

"It’s been really difficult to move on, but we’re doing our best," Myint, who is a DJ in Detroit, said. "Of course, with the scenarios, you’re going to think about this, and it’s traumatizing for maybe the rest of life. It's hard to get by."

The invasion took place on July 11, while Myint was away for a meeting from 10:30 a.m. until noon. She believes the intruders climbed through the back window to get inside the house, dodging security cameras.

"As soon as I opened the door, I knew something was wrong," she said. "My skin, (my) whole body started burning just from the door opening." 

Which was due to the bear mace, but Myint did not know that at the time. 

Immediately, she ran upstairs to check on her dogs.

"I opened the bedroom door and our whole room was just horrible. It was a horrible scene. Our dogs were heavily bear-maced," Myint said. "They were orange."

With her shirt over her face, Myint ran to get her dogs and cat outside. The spray was so toxic and intense, Detroit police couldn’t walk through the house, she said.

So, the fire department had to.

"I feel like they still have residue. (The bear mace) is oil-based; it’s really difficult to get out of their coats," Myint said. "And it lingered on them for at least a week, so that’s a burning sensation that they were feeling constantly." 

The pet owner and DJ says it took two whole gallons of Dawn soap to get the smell out of her house, and the stains off her walls. 

While her dogs are now OK, Myint says she may not have been the first case. There has been a rash of break-ins in the area with pets getting bear maced.

Detroit police are still investigating. Anyone with information is asked to call 1-800-Speak Up.

"No matter what city you’re in, lock your windows if you’re leaving," Myint said. "You just never know who’s watching you."