'Charles the Monarch' as seen in an online photo. (Facebook)
When the calls started coming in, police in Norfolk, Va., thought they had an escaped lion prowling their streets and immediately called the local zoo for a head count.
Thankfully, all the lions were accounted for, and the beast of Norfolk turned out to be nothing more than a loose dog with a terrible haircut.
Charles the Monarch, a cross between a Labrador retriever and a poodle (a breed known as a labradoodle), is apparently well-known around the neighbourhood for its unique shave that makes it resemble local Old Dominion University's mascot, which is, you guessed it, a lion.
The dog and its owner, Daniel Painter, are also apparently well know at university football tailgate parties.
Charles the Monarch is often mistaken for a lion, Painter told 13News, and he's started to jokingly tell people the dog is half lion.
