A startling incident unfolded outside a Florida woman’s home, as caught on her Ring video doorbell camera, when she unexpectedly encountered a black bear on her doorstep. The nerve-wracking encounter occurred late Thursday night.
Gina Helsel recounted the shocking episode, explaining that she had ventured outside her Daytona Beach residence around 3 a.m. with her nine-month-old goldendoodle. The pup’s barking had prompted her to investigate, assuming it was merely the presence of cats on the porch.
However, she encountered more than she bargained for: “I thought there were just cats on the porch because there’s always just cats on the porch. So I’m like I’m going to take him and let him bark at the cats, and we can sleep the rest of the night. But I got a surprise. Yogi was out there,” she shared with FOX 35.
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The situation took her off guard, as she usually remains vigilant for snakes and alligators, but bears were not on her watch list. Despite the abundance of local wildlife, having a bear at her front door was an unforeseen event that left her rattled.
To minimize the risk of such encounters, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) advises making noise and illuminating porch lights before opening doors at night.
This news was first published at foxnews.com