“Family adopts a new dog. When the vet sees it, he calls the cops. Dogs are considered to be man’s best friend, and many people have them as pets. But how would you react if one day you suddenly realized that your dog was something completely different?
Soohyun and her family from Yunnan Province in China had been considering adopting a pet dog. On one of their holiday trips, they stumbled upon a cute puppy for sale. Taking just one look, the whole family fell in love and decided to take him home. The seller said the pup was a common breed of dog called Tibetan Mastiff, and the family always thought so until one day they found this on their way back home.
The family couldn’t help but think of a name for their new pet. Finally, they decided to call him Little Black. The name may sound funny in English, but in Chinese, it suits the fluffy little fellow perfectly. They were all thrilled to introduce Little Black into their home.
Little Black seemed to enjoy his new environment. He had a good appetite and was growing up healthy. Sue’s family fed him a box of fruits and two buckets of noodles every day—not exactly a diet you’d see recommended by any vet. They were all hoping that he would grow up into a healthy Tibetan Mastiff. Within just a month, Little Black was gaining weight quickly.
But soon, Sue found something that was a bit strange about her pet. Although Sue was happy to see her puppy growing stronger every single day, she was also a little curious about how everything was happening so fast. She even found Little Black could stand on his two hind legs when he wasn’t begging for food. She told her family about his suspicious behavior, only to receive a reply that he was happy and healthy, and that was all that mattered.
Although Sue didn’t know why her puppy did so, she had a sixth sense that something was wrong. Little Black was always hungry, so the family gave him as much food as he wanted. As a result, he got heavier day by day. When he turned two years old, he was already three feet tall and weighed 250 pounds—way beyond his family’s expectations. Sue even became a little scared of her own dog. When he pulled on the leash or threatened to attack, she could do nothing to stop him.
Aside from growing up too fast, Sue noticed that her dog had some features she’d never seen on any other dog before. Little Black was so big; it seemed reasonable that he had large teeth, but his teeth looked a little too large, and it wasn’t just that. While Sue had occasionally seen Little Black standing on his hind legs before, she now constantly saw him walking on his legs. She began to admit that Little Black might not be a normal dog.
Although the most puzzling thing was that Little Black was often found roaring instead of barking. At first, Sue’s family thought it was cool to have such a big pet at home. However, as they saw him standing up and growling in the backyard, they couldn’t help but feel scared and confused. Meanwhile, his face also looked less and less like a dog. The whole family came to realize that their pet was probably not a dog at all.
The family couldn’t stop thinking about whether Little Black would attack them. If he were not a dog, what if he wanted to devour them when he was angry? After much consideration, they decided to call their local animal rescue team. Only an expert could answer their questions.
Local police at the Elain country Forest Public Security Bureau rushed to Sue’s home as soon as they learned what had happened. They confirmed that Little Black was not a dog but was an Asiatic black bear. Sue and her family were totally shocked to know his true identity.
Asiatic black bears, also known as Tibetan bears, moon bears, or Himalayan bears, are massive creatures who typically have brownish or black glossy coats and a whitish crescent-shaped line above their chest. They’re famous in Korea, Japan, Singapore, and particularly in China. Police said it was illegal to domesticate wild animals without official authorization. They did a quick check-up on Little Black and concluded that it was in good shape for moving, so they decided to take him to the nearest wildlife rescue center for better care. Little Black was so big that they had to give him some anesthesia first.
Little Black was taken away. Sue and her family missed him so much. “Although I was a little afraid of the black bear, I have raised him for two years and have feelings. I know that after the black bear, I am afraid that if I am hurt, I will raise the broth and fruit every day,” Sue said.
Little did she know that a bigger surprise was on her way. For two years, Sue and her family thought they were raising a pet dog. They didn’t realize the truth until Little Black became an adult bear. How’s this possible?
Their story captured the attention of both domestic and foreign media, including National Geographic, Business Insider, and People magazine. People worldwide were fascinated by how Sue’s family had made such a big mistake. However, this wasn’t the first time that it had happened in China.
There are many bear farms that raise Asiatic black bears, as their internal organs are considered to be helpful in traditional Chinese medicine. According to IUCN, there are over 17,000 bears raised on almost 70 farms in China, so it’s not uncommon to come across a bear on and off the market. Besides, bear cubs really look like puppies that are quite adorable. How can someone who wants to adopt a pet refuse to adopt them?”
