(CNN) --
A couple was attacked by a bear inside their northern Wisconsin home Friday night after the animal crashed through their window, authorities said.
The husband and wife were injured, but their children, who were sleeping in their bedrooms at the time of the attack, were uninjured, the Taylor County Sheriff's Office (TCSO) said in a news release.
The husband shot and killed the bear.
The couple first saw the bear outside eating from a bird feeder, so they opened their window and yelled at it to try to get it to leave, TCSO said.
"The bear immediately turned and charged the house, went through the window and into the house and immediately attacked," TCSO said.
Both the husband and wife suffered multiple bites and wounds as they tried to defend themselves from the attack, at one point stabbing the bear with a kitchen knife, authorities said.
Eventually the husband was able to obtain a firearm and shot and killed the bear.
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The pair were treated for their injuries at a hospital and have since been released, TCSO said.
The bear, identified by authorities as an adult female, appeared to have a cub, which was seen running during the attack on the house.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, bears are often fearful of humans and are rarely aggressive.
However, they can become defensive when protecting their pups or a food source and can become agitated if startled, the department said.
In cases where people see a bear in their yard or around their home, the Wisconsin DNR has previously recommended that people go to "a safe area so the bear has a clear path of escape" and do " a lot of noise yelling, honking car horns, or banging on pots and pans.
The Department of Natural Resources took the deceased bear for testing, according to the statement.
With information from Joseph Bonheim
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