Family Raised A 250-pound Dog For 2 Years Only To Find Out It Was A Bear

A family residing in a secluded region of China had taken in what they believed was a puppy, only to discover after two years that their furry companion was, in fact, a bear.

Su Yun, who resides in a village located outside the city of Kunming in Yunnan Province, purchased what she was told was a Tibetan mastiff puppy during a vacation in 2016.

The puppy's insatiable appetite, which included consuming a box of fruits and two buckets of noodles every day, immediately caught the owner's attention.

Two years later, Su's pet weighed 250 pounds and continued to grow at an alarming rate.

 When the woman noticed the creature's bizarre ability to walk on two legs, her surprise grew into apprehension.

Su told Chinese media:

“The more he grew, the more like a bear he looked,”

As Su's pet continued to grow at an alarming rate and display increasingly bear-like behavior, her apprehension grew.

This was particularly concerning for Su, who admitted to being "a little scared of bears." 

In response to her growing suspicion about the true nature of her supposed Tibetan mastiff puppy, Su contacted the authorities for assistance.

The authorities promptly identified Su's furry companion as an Asiatic black bear, which is categorized as a vulnerable species.

This breed of bear is native to several regions throughout Asia and is known for its distinctive V-shaped white or cream-colored chest mark.

Although the species is protected by law in China, they are still commonly hunted for their fur, gallbladders, and other body parts that are believed to have medicinal properties.

The peculiar story of Su's bear has resurfaced this week, years after it was originally reported by the Independent in 2018.

As a fully grown male Asiatic bear, also known as a Himalayan bear or moon bear, this species can weigh up to a staggering 400 pounds.

Despite this, Su's bear had been living inside her home all along, causing concern for both the bear and the humans residing with it.

When staffers arrived to collect the bear, they were too intimidated to interact with the animal while it was fully alert.

As a result, the bear had to be tranquilized before being transported to the Yunnan Wildlife Rescue.

The rescue center provides care and rehabilitation to animals in need, including those who have been rescued from illegal wildlife trade, habitat destruction, and other threats.

In May 2018, a Chinese media outlet captured footage of Su's bear inside a cage, munching on an orange.

Tibetan mastiffs are large dogs with thick black-and-brown coat, with males frequently weighing up to 150 pounds. Getty Images/iStockphoto

The video clearly shows the bear's lustrous black coat and the signature white mark on its chest that distinguishes the species.

Authorities reported that the bear was adjusting well to its new surroundings and was living a healthy life at the Yunnan Wildlife Rescue center.

The rescue center's mission is to provide the best possible care for animals in need, including those who have been rescued from the illegal wildlife trade, habitat destruction, and other threats.

With proper care and rehabilitation, it is possible that the bear will eventually be released back into the wild.