This Family Thought They Adopted a Rare Pet Dog, but It Turned Out to Be Something Else Entirely

Adopting a pet is one of the most beautiful acts of kindness people can do. Not only are you opening your home (and heart!) to an animal in need. But you’re also saving a life and not supporting the puppy mill supply chain. So, when Su Yun from China adopted a puppy, she was obviously very excited. But joy quickly turned to despair as the rare pet she had recently adopted turned out to be something completely unexpected.

A New Addition

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Su Yun was like any other mom out there. She was a hard worker whose sole mission was to make sure her two children had everything they could possibly need. And whatever time she had left, she spent it with her beloved husband. Su Yun, along with and her family, lived in the southwest province in Kungming City, China. They led pretty normal lives, but all that changed when she decided to get a weird-looking pet and ended up making headlines all over the world.

A Life-Changing Vacation

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As you can imagine, being married with children had made life a bit stressful. Su Yun was feeling the stress. She realized she needed to plan a vacation soon. So, she booked a spectacular getaway in Asia for her and her family. She was so stressed, she couldn’t wait until she was on her trip. When the day came, Su Yun excitedly packed her family’s bags, and made sure she had everything they would need for their Asian excursion. But she was about to learn that no matter how prepared you think you are; a lot of things can go wrong during a trip. And yet, no one in her family could have foreseen that a chance meeting with a seemingly harmless animal would have such serious repercussions.

The Puppy Encounter

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Su Yun and her family were so excited to finally be on vacation. One day, during a casual walk with the kids, Su Yun run into a group of puppies that were put up for adoption. And that’s when she realized she had an opportunity in front of her. Su Yun’s children had been begging for a dog for a while now. But although she had said no in the past, these puppies had stolen Su Yun’s heart. So, after years of debating it, she finally caved in and decided it was time to get a pet for the family. But soon, she discovered that she had taken on a much bigger responsibility than she had ever imagined.

They Were Warned

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Su Yun knew that puppies don’t stay tiny and cute forever. But the seller told her that the dog she was adopting was a Tibetan Mastiff, which was a particular large breed that can stand over two feet tall and weigh 180 pounds. The dog could grow to be really huge, but they decided to adopt him anyway! Su Yun talked it over with her family and came up with the name “Little Black” because the dog’s fur was partially black. The “Little” was an ironic take on the fact that the puppy would eventually grow up to be a giant. And while the name sounds a bit weird in English, it actually sounds really cute in Chinese. But they had no idea that Little Black was going to attract so much attention and even put the family at risk for legal ramifications.

The Dog Seemed Normal

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As they headed home, the family bonded with Little Black and soon enough, they all became best buddies with their little furry friend. Once they got back from their vacation, they had to figure out how to raise their pup. The beautiful weather of Kunming City allowed pet owners to let their animals live outside. Some families even allowed their dogs to roam freely in their backyard. But Su Yun and her family wanted to keep Little Black inside, so he could experience what it was like to be a part of the family. Little Black adapted to his new home really fast. Soon enough, the family realized that the pup liked to eat a lot. But as time went on, they began to realize that their dog was unlike any other dog.

Something Wasn’t Right

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The dog seller had warned the family that Little Black would grow up to be pretty big. That was no surprise given how much he kept eating. But Su Yun wasn’t used to having a dog in her life, and Little Black’s appetite was a lot to handle. She had to feed him a whole box of mixed fruits and two buckets full of noodles every day. Eating fruits and noodles was not a dog’s typical diet. In fact, some dogs would get sick eating all this. But Little Black seemed okay. Unfortunately, the amount of food he was consuming was getting out of hand. By the time he turned one, Su Yun had spent tons of money trying to satiate his hunger. But this was a minor problem compared to what she was about to face.

He Grew Way Too Fast

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Little Black’s growth rate was impressive and so was his appetite. The family was very concerned about the amount of food their dog was eating. Su Yun and her family knew that extra large dogs eat a lot of food. They knew their dog wouldn’t stay little forever. But Sun Yun never expected Little Black to grow this much. Little Black weighed 250 pounds and was three feet tall by the time he was two years old. That’s a lot bigger than the seller told them he would be. But as time went on, his size became the least of their problems once they realized that their dog was developing unusual features.

Strange Kitchen Activity

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Dogs like Tibetan Mastiffs can grow to be bigger than the average pet. But Su Yun was noticing that there were other things about her pet that were more unusual than his size. And then, one day, she saw something in the kitchen that left her gasping for air. One afternoon, Su Yun walked into her kitchen and noticed Little Black standing on his hind legs. Although some dogs can assume that position for a brief period of time, this was definitely different. Little Black was standing the way a human being does, which wasn’t typical for a dog. That’s when Su Yun realized that her dog wasn’t normal at all.

Dog’s Peculiar’s Features

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The fact that she had walked in on Little Black standing in the kitchen on more than one occasion wasn’t the only peculiarity. Su Yun started worrying about what she had brought into her home. But then she saw a few other things that raised some red flags. Little Black had enormous teeth, but Su Yun had convinced herself that this was typical of large Tibetan Mastiffs. Then she noticed that her pet had certain facial features that weren’t common in dogs, like his more pronounced snout. And yet, she continued to turn a blind eye on the signs that kept indicating there was a serious problem.

It Outgrew the Home

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Although Su Yun was concerned by her dog’s impressive growth spurt, her children were embracing the popularity that came with owning the biggest dog in their neighborhood. Everyone in the area started hearing about the strange puppy that had gotten so big. Taking Little Black out for a walk was drawing lots of attention, especially as the pooch continued to grow. Unfortunately, he had gotten so big that there was hardly any room in the house for him. So, Su Yun had to keep him in a dog house outside. But the fact that she had put Little Black in the backyard was only a temporary solution and didn’t address the obvious issues.

It Didn’t Bark

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Little Black’s body was as big as his temper. But it wasn’t the only thing that was growing. His temper had gotten out of hand. In fact, sometimes he would unleash his rage towards Su Yun and her family. And although no one got hurt, they were starting to get frightened at his sudden bursts of anger. But it wasn’t the only issue. It didn’t take long for Su Yun to notice something even more peculiar about her dog, like the fact that he had never barked before.  But that didn’t mean he was a mute either. Little Black growled a lot, but not the way they expected a dog to growl. In fact, it was as if the pooch was roaring. This made Su Yun even more frightened of the animal she had adopted.

Her Fears Grew

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Little Black was only two years old but Su Yun was still terrified of him and his impressive size. If he hadn’t been living outside already, he wouldn’t have been able to fit into the house. This made it even more difficult to keep Little Black restrained with a leash when she took him out for walks. Su Yun was worried for her safety and more importantly, the welfare of her children. So, she went online and started digging for information that could help her solve the mystery of her gigantic dog. Little Black was anything but your run-of-the-mill dog. But when she discovered that her dog wasn’t really a dog at all, she got the fright of her life.

The Truth Was Revealed

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Su Yun did some research and cross-checked some of Little Black’s physical characteristics and his behaviors, like his big teeth, giant size, and his unusual habit of standing on his hind legs. But she was blown away when she realized that she hadn’t welcomed a Tibetan Mastiff into her home, but something that wasn’t even a member of the same species. Su Yun couldn’t believe it! Her family pet was a black bear! Everything she had read about bears seemed to indicate that she had brought a bear into her home! She was terrified and most importantly, very worried. She wasn’t sure how to handle the situation, but she knew she couldn’t sit on her laurels. She had to act fast for her sake and the sake of her family.

Not an Average Black Bear

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Su Yun kept gathering information about her pet. Little Black wasn’t simply a black bear. He was an Asiatic Black Bear, which was also known as a Himalayan Bear or a Tibetan Bear. Although the animal was pretty huge by all standards, this type of black bear was considered medium sized. And that’s incredible given that they can reach more than six feet tall and weigh as much as 440 pounds. Asiatic Bears are herbivores, but if a human were to aggravate them, they will lash out. But that wasn’t the only thing she read about these animals that frightened her. Su Yun had discovered that owning a bear in China was a crime, which meant that she was facing jail time. This put her in a terrible position. What was she supposed to do now?

She Asked the Zoo

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Su Yun loved Little Black, but she knew she couldn’t keep him anymore. But how was she supposed to get this enormous black bear out of her home and into a new home safely? Then, she finally figured it out. Su Yun thought about calling the local zoo to see if they had some space for Little Black. Unfortunately, she didn’t have a birth certificate, which was the only way that they could accept a wild animal into their zoo. This forced Su Yun to do something she feared would land her in hot water.

She Called the Cops

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Reluctantly, Su Yun contacted the police and explained what had happened. A couple of minutes later, the police were at her doorstep and they came with wildlife experts from the Forest Public Security Bureau. Su Yun had fully cooperated with authorities and answered every question they had. “The more [Little Black] grew, the more like a bear he looked,” she told them. She also explained that she was “a little scared of bears.” But the police didn’t truly understand why she was so apprehensive until they went to the backyard and took a look at the gigantic beast themselves.

She Confessed Everything

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Authorities and the forestry officials walked towards Su Yun’s backyard and saw the enormous beast sitting there. They immediately realized it wasn’t a dog. Once they took a closer look at Little Black, they were able to confirm Su Yun’s suspicions. Her pet was undoubtedly a bear. Police questioned Su Yun about how she came to adopt Little Black, how she raised him, and who she got him from. She also explained to them that it was all a major misunderstanding. She obviously never meant to adopt a black bear. But was it enough to keep authorities from hauling her to jail?

The Bear Was a Priority

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Wildlife experts looked after the bear while police continued interrogating Su Yun. The officials also checked for any signs that the animal might have been poorly nourished or mistreated. Meanwhile, Su Yun remained nervous that caring for the animal would land her in a cell of her own. But a checkup revealed that Little Black was healthy, happy, and well fed. So, they had to come up with a way to get him to the nearest wildlife rescue center. The animal was given a tranquilizer so he could be transported safely to the wildlife center. But there was still the question over what to do with Su Yun and whether she should pay the price for accidentally breaking the law.