The bond between owner and pet is like no other—they’re our companions, always along for the ride no matter what ups and downs life brings. They show us joy and make us laugh, and even listen to us like they know exactly what we’re saying. Suyun, a native of a remote village, purchased the animal during a vacation, believing it was a Tibetan mastiff puppy. But, unfortunately, the family got the surprise of their lives when they discovered that their pet which they raised thinking it was a dog for two long years was actually something else entirely.
The family in China found out that an adorable furry “puppy” they had been raising for two years was not a pet dog, but an endangered bear. According to New York Post, Suyun bought what she was led to believe was a Tibetan Mastiff puppy while on vacation back. However, after two years, when the animal grew up to be 250 pounds (roughly 114 kg) and began walking on two legs, the family grew suspicious and found that the “dog” was actually an endangered Asiatic Black Bear.
Tibetan mastiffs are huge dogs with black-brown coats, similar to an Asiatic black bear. They can weigh up to 150 pounds, which is approximately 69 kg. According to the outlet, Yun said that she was immediately struck by her pooch’s insatiable appetite, which had him wolfing down a box of fruits and two buckets of noodles daily.
“The more he grew, the more like a bear he looked,” Yun told a Chinese news outlet. After raising the animal for two years, she then began to suspect that her “dog” was actually a black bear. Once Yun realised that the private domestication of wild animals was illegal, she immediately reached out to authorities. The officials quickly identified her supposed dog as an Asiatic black bear, which is classified as a vulnerable species.
Featured Image – Representative
