[ Murphy/ "The Lion of County Clare" ]
Mark Murphy is a journalist for The Irish Post.
The November 5, 2025 issue of The Irish Post carried the following article under the headline "The Lion of Co. Clare that caused chaos online finally unmasked."
(County Clair, by the way, is a coastal county in western Ireland; the "Gardaí" are Ireland's national police force.)
GARDAÍ in County Clare have solved the mystery of a supposed "lion-like" creature seen roaming through a wooded area.
It turns out the fearsome beast was nothing more than a friendly family pet named Mouse.
Reports of a large animal prowling near Mountshannon began circulating on social media after
a video clip showed a tawny, mane-coated figure wandering through the trees.
The footage sparked speculation that a lion had somehow escaped into the Irish countryside, prompting calls to gardaí on October 29.
After investigating, gardaí from Killaloe confirmed that there was no escaped big cat at all.
In a light-hearted post, officers joked, "If you go down to the woods today, it’s not a lion you will find but the very friendly Newfoundland dog named Mouse."
They also added that the canine star was "delighted with his recent viral video clip."
Siobhan McHaffie, Director of Operations at the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (USPCA), noted that removing a Newfoundland’s thick coat is "generally not recommended", according to the BBC.
"Their double coat helps regulate body temperature and protects their skin," McHaffie explained.
"Without it, dogs can suffer from overheating, sunburn, or other complications. Shaving should only be done for medical reasons."
Despite the confusion, authorities were quick to assure the public that there was never any danger.
The USPCA said it was "glad to see that Mouse is safe and is, in fact, not a roaming lion."
The story of a lion named Mouse was also featured in The New York Times edition of November 5, 2025.
For a similar incident of a Newfoundland being mistaken for beast, check out this entry at The Cultured Newf.
