Police known as after ‘lion’ noticed roaming round woodlands however they discovered one thing totally different
An initially unidentified animal was caught on camera prowling through woods last week – but thankfully it wasn’t the blood-thirsty beast some thought it could be
Concerns over a “lion roaming freely” in woodland have finally been allayed by cops — after the animal turned out to be a dog. A video circulated on social media last week showing the fearsome-looking animal entering a wooded area, sparking concern for locals.
The sighting was reported to have occurred near Mountshannon in County Clare, Ireland, with some social media posts also linking the event to Kells, County Meath.
But Irish police officers, known as Gardai, from Killaloe confirmed that the animal was a cuddly Newfoundland dog. And they said on Tuesday the pet was called Mouse and he was “delighted with his recent viral video clip”.
Mouse’s fur appears to have been shaved down to leave a lengthy tuft on the tip of the tail, while also preserving the appearance of a mane around his head and neck.
In a viral video, taken early on the morning of October 29, a large animal with a long tail and what appears to be a dark-coloured mane can be seen trotting towards a forest.
The truck driver, who is recording, beeps the horn at the animal, but it continues walking into the woods and soon disappears.
Forest manager John O’Reilly, who first received the clip, said the animal had been spotted moving around the woods over Mount Shannon before the video was captured.
He told CorkBeo: “The animal had been seen before by harvesters working on the site, but it was from a distance, moving through the trees. We assumed it was a deer before the video was captured.
“The video came from a trucker who was hauling timber, and there is a lot of debate as to what it actually is. People can make their own mind up when they watch the video.
I’m not saying for certain that it is a lion, but it does look to have a mane and a long tail. Some people even think that someone might have shaved their dog as a joke.”
John added that there is no doubt that video was real and described it as a ‘legitimate sighting’. “There is an animal down there that looks like that; it’s not a fake video,” he said.
A Garda spokesperson said: “Gardaí received report of a large animal in a wooded area in Co. Clare on Wednesday 29th October 2025. Inquiries were carried out.”
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.
