Shaved Labradoodle sparks lion scare

A US man who shaved his dog's hair to make it look like a lion inadvertently sparked fears of a big cat on the loose.

Worried residents of Norfolk, Virginia, rang 911 claiming a fearsome jungle cat was wandering the streets.

Officers checked with Virginia Zoo to make sure all their lions were accounted for before launching an investigation into the claims.

But panic was replaced by laughter when it emerged the 'big cat' was local celebrity canine, Charles the Monarch.

Daniel Painter shaved his Labradoodle to look like the lion mascot of nearby Old Dominion University.

Mr Painter said his pet dog, who has more than 2,000 friends on Facebook, is often mistaken for a lion thanks to his furry mane.

"I tell people he's a Lab-a-lion, and half the people believe that," he told The Virginian Pilot.