POLICE have shot a 181kg black bear after it ate a pet rabbit in a resident's backyard in New Jersey.
MyFox New York reported Joe McCabe spotted the bear in his backyard and called his daughter to come take a look - until he saw it feasting on Blackie, the family pet rabbit.
The rabbit had been roaming free in the screened porch and didn't stand a chance against the predator.
As the bear climbed a tree, McCabe called police who shot the animal five times before it fell to the ground, dead.
The bear was so big, authorities had to drag it to the front of the home and use a backhoe to remove the animal.
The Department of Environmental Protection said bears are known to look for food in residential areas.
"These things do occur from time to time," DEP's Darlene Yuhas said.
"During the colder months bears have difficulty finding their natural prey so they go after small animals, livestock, and sometimes garbage.
"We consider this a serious incident and when bears break into homes or garages and prey on small animals, they are destroyed; and that is what happened in this particular incident."
Read more about the bear shot for eating a rabbit at Fox News
