A man and three dogs were stung by bees Thursday morning in a west valley neighborhood attack that killed the pets, according to Las Vegas Fire & Rescue.
As a result, officials are reminding the public that bee colonies can easily be agitated, causing hundreds of bees to attack at once. Noises like barking and landscaping tools can make them go “into defense mode.”
Crews responded about 11 a.m. to the 6700 block of Walla Walla Drive, near Alta Drive and Rainbow Boulevard, and encountered the man holding an unconscious dog, which was stung “several hundred” times, officials said.
Additionally, two other small dogs were stung as was the man, who did not suffer any medical complications, officials said. The animals were taken to a nearby veterinarian and “appeared to be critical enough that the family that owns the dogs decided they should be put down.”
The bees originated from some sort of box in a neighbor’s yard, officials said. An exterminator sprayed foam in the area, which was expected to calm the bees.
Las Vegas Fire & Rescue’s bee safety hotline can be reached at 702-229-2000.