GOTHA, Fla. – A family in Gotha experienced a startling late-night visitor when a bear made an unexpected appearance on their front porch. The encounter was caught on their doorbell camera.

Julissa Pena recounted her disbelief when her son, who was sitting in their car parked in the driveway, called to warn them against opening the door because a bear was approaching the house.

“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” Pena explained. “The bear began sniffing around, approached our door, and then wandered off towards the garbage cans.”

Fortunately, Pena reported that no one in the family was harmed, although the incident left them all quite shaken.

Pena says thankfully no one in her family was hurt, as it was a shock for everyone to see.

“My son was in the car waiting to come in, so he waited until the bear moved on and ran into the house,” said Pena.

Pena says the whole ordeal happened Sunday night around 10 o’clock, and she is happy that she chose not to let the dogs out before she was told about the bear. She goes on to say how she saw the bear was hungry because it rummaged through their garbage and that of her neighbors.

“Obviously, it was looking for food because the garbage cans were all on the ground,” said Pena.

Officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission say during the fall, bears are more active and may be more visible as they pass through areas while looking for food. To prevent them from going into your yard, they suggest removing or securing food sources, garbage, dumpsters, pet food, and bird seeds.

“It was terrifying all night. I was looking out every time I heard my ring like it was still there,” she said.

Pena says she did call the authorities, and hopefully the bear is long gone, but they are still being cautious.

“I’m hoping it is a one-time fluke,” said Pena.

Officials with FWC also say that if bears come into neighborhoods, feeding them can make them lose their natural fear of people, and it’s best not to do that so the bear moves on.

For more information on what to do if you encounter a bear, click here.