A Litchfield man and his dog were attacked by a bear Saturday morning in his backyard.

Department of Energy and Environmental Protection officials say the bear was in the yard investigating a birdfeeder on a porch and then went into the yard when the dog began chasing the bear. The dog was then attacked.

The homeowner tried to help his pet when he was injured by the bear. He suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

The dog was taken to a veterinary hospital.

The bear ran off into nearby woods and was not found by responding officers.

DEEP says people should not have birdfeeders out from late March through November when bears are active. They say birdfeeders can lead to conflicts between bears and humans because bears associate humans with sources of food.