A Chinese-bred Tibetan Mastiff. (Yeti/Wikimedia Commons photo)
When The Bulletin received a report on Aug. 20 of a lion blocking traffic at the intersection of Route 33 and Nod Hill Road, suffice it to say reporters were skeptical.
According to the report, a four-foot-tall lion with a full mane was sitting in the middle of the road. The owner of the lion came out with a stick and herded it back up the hill to his house.
Reporters were curious. Skeptical, but curious. So a call was put in to Animal Control Officer Robert Napoleon, who seemed to share The Bulletin’s curiosity — and skepticism.
Napoleon conducted an investigation of his own and found out the lion was no feline at all. It was a canine — a Tibetan Mastiff dog.
He visited the home of the owner described in the report and asked if there was any chance a lion was being kept there.
In the words of Napoleon, “No,” said the owner, “but we do have this dog that looks a lot like one.”
A quick search on Google Images revealed the likeness.
Tibetan Mastiffs are large dogs that can be groomed to have a mane that resembles a lion’s mane. It appears this is a popular trend.
According to Wikipedia, they can grow to be just under three feet tall.
Judging from Napoleon’s findings, it looks like the king of beasts hasn’t extended his reign to Wilton just yet.
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