Let me take the talk to a different direction a bit...
What actually happened was not specified - did a hive fall and open up?
I guess that what happened until I hear otherwise.
IF you or someone/something does knock a hive over (everything is possible in this life), it must not crumble into a pile of blocks and expose you immediately to a cloud of bees pouring out of all the large open faces. I recall that crazy video of Solomon Parker in Arizona desert - that is basically the nightmare scenario.
A terrible liability issue.
Ideally, the hive just does not fall over or even move - large, low standing horizontal chest hive is very safe.
Virtually impossible to move it.
Very safe.
I would not care much about cows around my largest chest hives (if standing very low on bricks or wood blocks) - cows will not knock them over.
The lids are locked in places.
Classic square Dadants with single super are also very safe, is on low, stable stands.
If the hive is tall multi-box - it still preferably to have as wide base as possible for stability (one reason small foot print hives worry me - looking at those Warre/Delon sizing hives with this exact potential issue in mind).
If the multi-box hive is still on hand - the boxes must be strapped securely together (dependency on the bricks/rock and propolise seals to hold it all together is a poor idea).
The straps are so cheap not to have them used everywhere.
The lowest possible grade straps $2-3 apiece are plenty fine I imagine.
Also, a good idea to have an attached bottom (my way of design) - this way a box knocked over does not create a huge opening at the bottom allowing for a very fast and massive bee attack.
Also, a good idea to have hive designs that help the boxes to stay attached.
Like this very popular Ukrainian/Russian peg-hive design:
At the least, a knocked over hive must stay as a single unit and not create huge openings for a massive bee attack .
The entrances must throttle the bees down while allowing for the person/animal to escape.
I think these are real safety and liability issues that require pre-planning.
Noting for myself too as I also have this problem (some of my hives are not strapped at the moment as should be).
PS: OK, I did not think of any bear-defeating ideas; bear may also create a safety/liability issue knocking the hives open; these do not apply in my area, fortunately.