Spanish officers shoot dead dog they think is lion

A judge in Spain has ordered an investigation into the shooting of a dog after it was mistaken for an escaped lion.

By Fiona Govan in Madrid
Published: 3:16PM GMT 10 Nov 2009

Several witnesses reported sighting what they believed was a female lion scavenging from rubbish bins on the outskirts of the village of La Senia in Catalonia last month.

It was thought the animal may have escaped from a travelling circus and residents were warned to stay inside until the dangerous beast was caught.

Authorities launched a hunt for the animal, scrambling two helicopters and mobilising a 50 strong team including four police forces, civil protection officers and wildlife experts.

The search, which is estimated to have cost 100,000 euros (£90,000), ended on the fourth day when officers from the civil guard opened fire on the animal after tracking it to a chicken farm where it was feeding on carcases laid out as bait.

But instead of a lion the animal turned out to be huge dog, believed to be a cross between a "presa Canario" – a hunting breed originating from the Canary Islands – and a Brazilian mastiff.

Authorities said the male dog, which measured 4ft 9 inches from nose to tail and stood almost three feet tall looked similar to a lioness because of its short ears, wide head, and fawn colouring.

El Refugio, a local animal protection group, lodged a complaint to the court in Tarragona arguing that the abandoned dog was harmless and could have been captured using a tranquilliser dart.

"It is totally irresponsible for people, with all the modern means available, to kill a poor, helpless abandoned dog," said Nacho Paunero, president of El Refugio.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/6538267/Spanish-officers-shoot-dead-dog-they-think-is-lion.html