I have a couple of non-bear experiences with UDAP bear spray. Interpret as you wish.
1. While living in NC, had a rabid raccoon teasing my 80# dog. I went to chase it off, but it ran into my culvert under my driveway. Did not want to leave it there, as I had small children. I got the UDAP bear spray and sprayed it into the culvert. Saw a plume of orange cloud come out the other end, approx. 20’. Did not appear to phase the raccoon. Had to go get a garden hose with pinpoint jet nozzle to finally get raccoon to vacate premises.
2. My cats have a bad habit of bring live rats into house through cat door and turning them loose. Once, a big rat ran under the clothes dryer. I tipped the dryer over to get the rat, but I pulled-off the vent hose coupling and the dam rat ran into the hose and into the ductwork between the laundry room and house exterior. Being the MENSA type that I am, I fetched the bear spray to ensure the little *censored* ran all the way out of the ducting and outside the house. I caught a whiff of the spray and it made me cough a bit. Months later I bought a duct brush to clean-out all the lint from my house ducting. My plan was to blow air with my shop-vac from inside the house while brushing and blow all lint outside. Genius. Unfortunately, I forgot to reverse the air flow and sucked the air from the duct into the house. The bear spray must have been embedded in the duct or lint because it made me violently ill. Could not stop coughing and came very close to vomiting in the laundry room.
As a younger man, I was in the US Navy and was exposed to the tear-gas training in boot camp. You cannot believe how much snot/mucus/tears will come out of your face when exposed. The bear spray, for me, was more of a respiratory irritant than eye & nose irritant, but this was from dormant remnants in the duct work, not direct contact spray. Anyways, this doesn’t mean or prove anything, but I hope it was entertaining. When I hike, I carry bear spray and my .40 sub-compact.