Dread
Feng felt dread creep up her spine as she saw her dog do something that changed her perspective of him.
She had never expected her views on her beloved animal companion, who had been with her for two years, to suddenly change.
Now that she knew what was really going on, she knew that there was no going back. As she tried to figure out what to do next, she heard a knock on her door.
The Police
Feng had no idea who could have been at her door, but the woman should have made a run for it.
As she approached her front door, she noticed something out of her window.
Then she saw a flash of blue and red lights outside. That’s when it dawned on her. The police were at her door.
What She Had Gotten Herself Into
She knew the risks going in, but she couldn’t have imagined things becoming so complicated. She had even researched a lot before the adoption.
Feng was prepared in her mind. She even bought everything she’d need for her new companion.
But things would change drastically in the blink of an eye.
Growing
Everything started without a hitch, but as time went on, she started to worry more and more.
The collar and bed she bought him started to appear smaller in comparison to the behemoth he was becoming.
That’s when she realized that the animal she had adopted might not have been what she thought he was.
Something Else
The lovable pup that she had adopted months ago started looking less and less familiar with every month that passed.
She thought that he’d eventually stop growing, but she was mistaken.
After two years, her animal was nothing like the one she’d adopted. Then it dawned on her he wasn’t what she thought he was.
Devoted Mother
Everything started out normal in Feng Tao’s life. Her husband and their two small children resided in Kunming City, China.
The devoted mother thought it was past due for a vacation since she was feeling the strain of balancing work and family obligations.
Feng was unaware that fate had a surprise in store for her.
Vacation
The Taos left on their long-awaited journey to Asia with their suitcases packed and ready to go.
This trip would forever alter their life. They had no idea that their error would be in the news two years from now.
The family had only been here a few days when they started to transition into holiday mode. But they never expected to discover a litter of puppies.
Adorable Pups
The kids started begging their parents as soon as they saw the adorable litter of pups.
Coincidentally, Feng and her husband had thought about getting a family dog. It must have been fate to find them here.
Su hugged one to her chest and pondered whether it was fate. Su, however, was unaware of all the requirements involved in bringing one of these puppies home.
Tibetan Mastiff
The seller of the Tao family’s new puppy informed them that it was a Tibetan Mastiff and that when he reached adulthood, he would be massive, growing two feet tall!
The Taos were overjoyed to welcome their new family member and picked a nickname for him – “Little Black.”
But at the time, they had no notion that this specific pup would turn out to be quite a nuisance.
Back To Kunming City
It wasn’t long before it was time to take their new family member back to Kunming City, as the family felt their relationship with their new dog growing stronger every day. Additionally, they needed to decide where he would sleep.
Although Kunming City’s mild temperature meant that canines could sleep outside, the Taos decided he would be an inside dog.
Little Black was more than content to remain close to his new family, but he wouldn’t be a puppy forever.
Noticing Something Odd
It wasn’t long before the Taos began to notice something odd about Little Black, though. Su thought it was a bit strange that no matter what dog food she’d lay out in front of him, he wouldn’t eat it.
The only foods he would eat with enthusiasm were noodles and fruit, and Su obliged. But, being new to dog ownership, she didn’t think much of it and chalked it down to him being fussy.
But soon, Little Black was eating the Taos out of the house and home.
A Huge Appetite
Every day, Little Black would devour an entire box of mixed fruits and two buckets of noodles… and his appetite showed no sign of slowing down!
He seemingly needed that much food to grow.
By the time Little Black was a year old, Feng had spent a fortune on his food, and things weren’t going to slow down.
Legal Trouble
The dog’s unusual preference for noodles and fruit wasn’t the only thing out of the ordinary.
They had noticed something else about the animal.
The family began to notice some other worrying characteristics about their new dog, not realizing that there could be legal trouble down the road…
250 Pounds!
Although Feng had expected Little Black to grow up to be a large dog, she wasn’t prepared for just how large he was getting.
At two years old, Little Black was now three feet tall and weighed a staggering 250 pounds.
That was much larger than even the seller had anticipated. Then, one day, Su saw Little Black doing something disturbing in the kitchen that raised all the red flags.
Something Very Strange
Feng walked in to see Little Black standing on his hind legs.
Su had seen other dogs stand up like a human while doing tricks or begging for food, but this was different.
It was finally time to come to grips with the fact that there was something very strange about this dog. Then, she started to become frightened.
Growing Fast
This pup was growing so fast that the family started feeling scared around their dog.
Not visible as a puppy were certain features, like the size of his teeth. Little Black was now constantly standing on his hind legs. He disliked walking on all fours.
With his size and his big white teeth, it was becoming a little frightening to be around him. But Feng was still in denial.
A Reputation
While Feng was growing more concerned by the minute, Little Black started to get a reputation among the neighbors.
Walking the enormous dog had become a spectacle, and soon, he was too big to live inside the house.
The family built him a dog house in the yard. But, of course, simply moving him outside didn’t make their problems go away.
Huge Mistake
Now that Little Black was an outside dog, Feng expected him to start behaving like one.
You would think that he would have taken to guarding the house from intruders and barking at the neighbors. But he never did.
Now that Feng thought about it, the only sound she’d ever heard him make was a low growl. It was becoming very clear that she had made a huge mistake.
It All Made Sense
And the bigger Little Black grew, the larger Feng’s fears became. Something just didn’t add up.
She began to research normal Tibetan Mastiff behavior, but what she found only added to her fears.
What she’d been caring for for two years was no Tibetan Mastiff but something else entirely. Finally, it all made sense.
A Black Bear!
Little Black was actually an enormous black bear! As Feng researched furiously, she discovered that he was no ordinary black bear, either.
He was an Asiatic black bear, also known as a Tibetan Bear or Himalayan Bear.
These bears can reach a height of six feet and weigh a whopping 440 pounds! Then, she read some information that made her heart drop.
A Dire Situation
Laws in China prohibit owning a bear of any kind, and it’s an offense punishable by jail! Feng was indeed in a dire situation.
As much as she had grown to love Little Black, she knew she couldn’t keep him.
What if he became aggressive toward her or her children? Her first course of action was to call the local zoo.
Between A Rock And A Hard Place
Unfortunately, the zoo wouldn’t even consider taking Little Black in without the proper paperwork – and she didn’t have his birth certificate.
Furthermore, they had bought the bear while on holiday and had no way of contacting the man who had sold it.
Feng had no recourse. Caught between a rock and a hard place, she had no choice but to call the police.
Calling The Police
Within the hour, Feng had called the local police station and explained everything.
They arrived at her home with wildlife experts in tow, and she explained the predicament she had gotten into.
She cooperated with them and tried to give them all the information they needed to find Little Black a safe new home. But what would the consequences be?
Awaiting The Verdict
“The more [Little Black] grew, the more like a bear he looked,” Feng explained. Then she admitted that she was “a little scared of bears.”
The police stayed with Feng, gathering information, while wildlife officials went out to Little Black to examine him.
They checked him over for any injuries or signs of malnourishment while Feng awaited the verdict.
Transporting Him
Officials found Little Black to be well-fed and healthy.
Now, they would have to tranquilize him so that they could transport him to the local wildlife center.
When he arrived, experts were floored – Feng had indeed been keeping a dangerous Asiatic Bear in her backyard! It wasn’t long before the media caught wind of Feng’s big mistake.
Big Question
The biggest question everyone wanted an answer to was: how had Feng and her family been oblivious to the fact that their “puppy” was actually an enormous wild animal?
But before they could answer that question.
An organization would be breathing down their necks.
National Geographic
It wasn’t long before National Geographic stepped in and covered the story, causing public outcry and becoming a viral sensation overnight.
But even if the reactions from the public were positive, things weren’t for Feng.
Now, with all eyes on her, Feng was painfully aware that she may face jail time. What would happen to her?
Not The Only Case
With all the media attention and public outrage, something surprising happened.
People began to share their own stories about adopting domestic animals, only to find out sometime later that they were another animal entirely.
National Geographic stated that this is not the only case and that it happens a lot more often than you may think. But would Feng have to pay for her mistake?
Cooperation
Fortunately for Feng, her continued cooperation with the authorities was acknowledged and served a key role in their decision about her punishment.
She reiterated that the incident was unfortunate but had been a case of mistaken identity.
After all, the man who had sold her Little Black had claimed that he was a Tibetan Mastiff!
A Happy Ending
Feng avoided jail time despite Asiatic Bears’ protected species status.
Although having Little Black moved to a sanctuary nearby was the best decision for the family – and for his own sake – they still miss the pet they knew and cared for for two years.
The good news is that the story has a happy ending: Little Black will continue to live out his days on the reserve and is in good hands.