In today's 'don't try this at home' story, a couple from Russia have shared their unlikely pet story, and we're still struggling to pick our jaws up off the floor.
Svetlana and Yuriy Panteleenko, from Moscow, adopted an orphaned bear cub when he was just a baby. They found him weak and lonely in the middle of a forest. *Cue tears... They took him in, showered him with love, domesticated him, taught him their ways and miraculously, escaped the fear we all have of being EATEN ALIVE. Their pet, named Stepan, is no longer a tiny cub and is now a 23-year-old massive lump of a thing, but he's still as cute as ever, living a life of domestic bliss with his human family. He likes gardening, playing football, snuggling on the couch and is never one to shy away from a warm embrace. He's probably the most social bear you'll ever come by and we reckon he'd become great pals with that bear who waves hello like an actual person.
Via Bored Panda, Svetlana explains: “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.”
And long may that winning streak last. Check out his super cute modelling pics here.