A family in China says they thought they were raising a Tibetan mastiff puppy. They fed him two buckets of noodles and a box of fruit every day. He didn’t stop growing. After two years, they reportedly realised that their dog was a bear.

The family then turned over their “puppy” to the local forest authorities ... who then sent it to a rescue and protection centre. The Asian black bear is a second-class protected animal species in China. Police say the family is likely to receive a reduced penalty due to their cooperation.