'Lion' captured on video in Ireland turns out to be a dog named Mouse

(NEXSTAR) – The mysterious animal – a grayish-brown creature with an apparent lion's mane and bobbed tail, slipped into the woods in Clare, Ireland – but not before a trucker managed to capture it on video.

The Garda Síochána, Ireland's national police force, were called to search for the "lion-like" animal and managed to track it down, determining that the "king of the jungle" was far friendlier than some feared.

"That 'lion' spotted roaming Clare? Turns out it was just a very committed Newfoundland dog with a fresh haircut," the Garda posted on Facebook, adding that the "very friendly" pup named Mouse is "delighted with his recent viral video clip."

Mouse appeared to have recently received his "lion cut," with bushy brown hair around his head and shoulders and a fluffy bob at the end of his tail.

It wasn't immediately clear how Mouse escaped to his personal Pride Lands in east Clare, and some questioned why he was given the haircut.

"Why did they shave a Newfie???" one Facebook user wondered.

Newfoundlands have a double-layer coat, and shaving it can make the animal vulnerable to heat stroke, sunburn and possible follicle damage, according to the American Kennel Club.