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WATCH: Mama bear, cubs caught stealing dog food from family's backyard

BANNER ELK, N.C. — Bear sightings are on the rise in western North Carolina and Channel 9 spoke with one local family who spotted a mother and her cubs roaming their yard for hours.

Another family said the bears ventured into their backyard, climbed a tree and eventually took off with their dog's food.

The encounter was captured on video.

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission said the cubs, which are about 6 months old, look healthy and weigh around 20 pounds.

Their mother, who tips the scale at nearly 200 pounds, is the one who signaled the cubs to climb the tree.

Watch the video above to hear the family's reaction after catching the bears in their yard and ways wildlife experts say you can keep your family and the bears safe this summer.