Ireland’s mystery of a roaming ‘lion’ this week has finally been solved – it was simply a Newfoundland dog named Mouse with a daring new hairdo.
A video taken by a trucker who mistook Mouse for a lion exploring East Clare went viral on social media as people questioned why the beast was running through the woods.
The Gardaí (Irish police) confirmed yesterday that the supposed King of the Jungle was actually a very friendly dog.
Pictures and footage of the dog show his coat has been recently shaved with his bushy tail and mane resembling a lion.
An Garda Síochána Clare posted on Facebook: ‘If you go down to the woods today…..it’s not a lion you will find but the very friendly Newfoundland dog named mouse.’
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People have taken to social media to express their concern about the Newfoundland’s shaved fur.
It is not recommended to shave a Newfoundland dog because it will interfere with their body temperature regulation, making them overheat.
The breed are double-coated which regulates their body’s temperature by trapping air close to the skin – keeping them cool in the summer and insulating them in the winter.
One Facebook user expressed how glad they were that the dog was found safe: ‘Thankfully he is safe and no hunting fool went on a scouting expedition for the first ‘wild lion’ in Ireland.’
Another commented: ‘No way! I literally thought that could be a newfie shaved! They have the same stride when walking.’
Gardai’s statement said: ‘Gardaí received report of a large animal in a wooded area in Co. Clare on Wednesday 29th October 2025.
‘Enquiries were carried out.’
Barking up the wrong tree
This isn’t the first time a dog has been mistaken for another animal and vice versa.
- In 2016, a stray German Shepherd/Husky mix was repeatedly reported by locals as a wolf running loose in a Los Angeles neighbourhood
- An Australian Shepherd mix interrupted a live TV report in Utah where people thought it was a mountain lion
- In 2018, Colorado Springs firefighters rescued eight animals from a storm drain, believing they were pups – but they were later identified as baby red foxes
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