Escaped Lion Terrorizing Virginia City Is Actually A Labradoodle

A concerned citizen mistook the leonine Labradoodle for a jungle cat and called 911.

Source: Charles the Monarch's Facebook Page / via: facebook.com

Reports of a baby lion stalking the streets of Norfolk, VA were put to rest when the animal in question turned out to be a 3 year-old Labradoodle.

A 911 caller told Norfolk police yesterday that a small lion was wandering one off the city’s main streets “possibly looking for food,” according to the Virginian-Pilot. After confirming that the Virginia Zoo’s two lions were accounted for, police went to the scene and discovered that the “lion” was Charles the Monarch, a dog shaved to look like the mascot of Norfolk’s Old Dominion University. The labradoodle is a popular member of the ODU fanbase and can be seen at tailgates on game days.

Charles with ODU mascot “Big Blue”

Source: Charles the Monarch's Facebook Page / via: facebook.com

Charles’ owner Daniel Painter told The Virginian-Pilot that this isn’t the first time individuals have mistaken his dog for a lion and called 911: “I tell people he’s a Lab-a-lion, and half the people believe that.”

The “Lab-a-Lion” In Action:

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ouk-n7tYyd0.

Source: Stephen M. Katz/The Virginian-Pilot / via: hamptonroads.com