WATCH: Teen fights off bear to protect dogs

A frightening incident was caught on a home surveillance video, showing a wild encounter with a bear in the United States.

Hailey Morinico, 17, said she heard the family dogs barking in her backyard in Southern California and saw a massive mama bear on a wall with her cubs.

Video shows the bear repeatedly swiping at her mother’s service dog while three other pups barked and darted around the backyard.

The teen jumped into action, shoving the bear off of the wall and quickly grabbing one of the dogs before running back into the house.

“Honestly, I did not know it was a bear until right after I pushed it. I didn’t register in my head that it was a bear,” Hailey said. “I was like ‘It’s an animal and it’s taking my child’ and I pushed the bear.”

Her mother, Citlally Morinico, was shocked when she saw the video. “I just break down every time I see (it). It’s just horrifying to watch,” she said.

Hailey says she came away from the incident with only a sprained finger on the hand she pushed the bear with and scrapes on her knee.

She and all of the dogs are OK, including her mom’s service animal.