Lone ‘lion’ seen roaming in Ireland, sparking police probe, was actually dog sporting ‘fresh haircut
The dog, Mouse, had its fur shaved in such a way that it appeared to have a mane and tufted tail. Irelands National Police
Residents in County Clare, Ireland, were left both alarmed and amused after reports of a “lion-like creature” wandering through the woods led to a full police investigation — only for the supposed beast to be revealed as a dog with a very bold haircut.
Locals in the western Irish countryside said they couldn’t believe their eyes when they spotted a shaggy, tan-colored animal with a full mane and tufted tail moving through the trees. From a distance, the creature bore an uncanny resemblance to a lion — prompting a flurry of calls to the Gardaí, Ireland’s national police force.
Officers launched an inquiry on October 29, determined to locate the mysterious animal. But it didn’t take long before the “lion” was identified: a Newfoundland dog named Mouse, freshly groomed into what police described as an “unintentional jungle look.”
“Gardaí from Killaloe have concluded that the recent video of a ‘lion-like’ animal roaming the woods in East Clare is in fact the very friendly dog named Mouse,” the agency posted Tuesday on X.
Police even shared a photo posing with the good-natured dog, whose tucked tail and bashful stance suggested mild embarrassment over the mix-up. The Gardaí later ran an online poll asking followers if they believed Mouse looked like a lion — with 27% saying yes.
While the incident brought plenty of laughs, animal welfare experts offered a word of caution. Siobhan McHaffie, director of operations for the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, told the BBC that shaving a Newfoundland’s thick coat is rarely advised.
“Unless it’s for medical reasons, shaving a Newfoundland’s coat is generally not recommended,” she said. “Their double coat protects them from both heat and cold, and removing it can cause skin damage or overheating.”
Still, McHaffie added, “We’re just glad Mouse is safe — and not actually a lion on the loose.”
True lions, of course, don’t roam the emerald fields of Ireland. They’re found only in captivity, such as at the Dublin Zoo. Decades ago, however, the island did briefly host one free-roaming big cat: in 1951, a lioness escaped from her trainer’s Dublin home and attacked a teenager before being shot by police.
And just last year, in August 2024, a zookeeper in Belfast had a narrow escape after becoming trapped inside a lion enclosure. The employee survived unharmed, and the Belfast City Council launched an investigation.
For the residents of County Clare, though, this latest “lion sighting” ended far more peacefully — with Mouse returning home as Ireland’s most famous dog in disguise.
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