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Gardaí Identify Ireland’s Viral ‘Lion’ as Newfoundland Dog Named ‘Mouse’

A late‑October Mountshannon video spurred reports and speculation, resolved by a Killaloe Garda photo identification.

Overview

  • Irish police concluded their inquiry and confirmed the animal in the clip is Mouse, a friendly Newfoundland, posting a photo to close the case.
  • The footage was recorded on October 29 by a truck driver near Mountshannon in County Clare and spread rapidly across WhatsApp and social platforms.
  • Officers said they received reports of a large animal that day, and there have been no verified incidents of an escaped big cat in the area.
  • The dog’s recent ‘lion cut’ grooming left a mane-like ruff and a tail tuft, explaining the convincing resemblance from a distance.
  • Some posts wrongly linked the sighting to Kells in County Meath and others questioned the clip’s authenticity, but officials verified the video and ended inquiries.