A daring mother and son have hand-raised 14 enormous bears in their back garden - and can't imagine living without them.

The Welde family have looked after grizzly bears, black bears and polar bears for the last 91 years – using their license to provide for those in need of a home.

Last year the family tradition came under threat when Monica's husband Johnny III died of a heart attack just after he turned 60.

Devastated by the loss of the 'patriarch', the family's passion for bears could have been extinguished for ever.

But with the support of her son, Monica managed to battle on and continue the family tradition of caring for their beloved pets.

'I know the bears miss him, they do notice his absence,' 

'But our son and I decided to continue the family legacy and go on for my husband.'

The family currently have 14 bears and Monica says she sometimes even prefers them to humans.

(c) Inside Edition