ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. -- A St. Johns County neighborhood is on alert after some homeowners report multiple bear sightings.

Several people living off Capo Island Drive said they have seen the same bear roaming their neighborhood for about two weeks.

One family told Channel 4 that at about 3:30 a.m. they heard a ruckus outside. When they went out to investigate, they said they found a bear along with their dog, Penny.

6-year-old William Culls and his mother, Corey, woke up to find quite a surprise.

"I saw a big bear on the tree. I said, 'Oh my gosh.' It was a big bear," said 6-year-old William Qualls. "I was kind of a little scarred but not really scarred."

"It climbed higher and higher. It was trying to make an alternate route, I guess, to escape," said William's mother, Cory Qualls.

They said the bear got into their trash and knocked over some receptacles before being confronted by Penny.

The Qualls said the dog jumped on the bear until the larger animal ran up a tree. They said the bear stayed in the tree for hours, but was able to escape before Florida Fish and Wildlife officials decided to tranquillize it.

"She was a brave dog," William said.

Fish and Wildlife officials said Tuesday's sighting was the 12 time that a bear has been reported in the last two weeks in about a two-mile area.

Officials went to the neighbor and handed out pamphlets to warm residents and remind them not to leave out any perishables, trash, pet food or anything that could attract the animal.