Overview
- A short video shared widely on WhatsApp and other platforms appeared to show a lion-like animal entering woodland near Mountshannon, County Clare, with some posts also referencing Kells, County Meath.
- Gardaí from Killaloe investigated the report and concluded the animal was a Newfoundland dog called Mouse.
- An official update on November 4 confirmed the identification and included a photo of the dog.
- The confusion arose from a grooming style that shaved the body while leaving a ruff around the neck and a tuft on the tail, creating a lion-like silhouette.
- Authorities dismissed the roaming-lion claims as a hoax and said there is no public-safety threat.