Most people consider their pets to be like members of their family but one Russian couple ended up welcoming an animal to their home that most would be terrified to spot even at a distance: a seven-foot tall bear. Svetlana and Yuriy Panteleenko are so comfortable with their 23-year-old bear Stepan that the three even watch television together.

And just like a typical family member, Stepan also helps with household chores like watering plants in the garden. Although Stepan’s favourite treat is a can of condensed milk, the 300lb bear’s huge appetite requires the Panteleenkos to stock up on at least 25kg of fish, vegetables and eggs. Stepan’s bond with the couple goes back a long way when he was adopted by them at the age of just three months.

The Panteleenkos insist that their pet bear has a very gentle temperament and loves to interact with people. “Stepan likes nothing more than to cuddle up with us on the sofa at night while we're watching television,” Svetlana told the Daily Mail. “He absolutely loves people and is a really sociable bear - despite what people might think, he is not aggressive at all. We have never been bitten by Stepan,” she adds.

Click on the link below to watch how Stepan spends time with the Panteleenkos: