A wolf-like animal has been spotted roaming fields in Wales and locals are being warned to be vigilant.
Cork residents in Ballinhassig, Fivemilebridge and Ballygarvan have been told by one concerned local to keep their pets inside following the animal's escape two days ago.
One picture shared on social media shows the 'wolf' in a field and it was warned that the animal was "on the loose", CorkBeo reports.
It has since been revealed the animal is actually a Czech Wolfdog, a crossbreed between a German Shephard and a Carpathian Grey Wolf, bred in Czechoslovakia in the 1950s to act as border patrol and search and rescue dogs.
Ivan Rumley, of Rumley's Farm, is the animal's owner and has insisted the public need not worry.
The wolfdog's name is Axel and is described as being a 'lovely, intelligent' animal who is actually very shy of people he is not used to.
"He's actually very shy, he'll most likely run away when he sees people," Ivan told CorkBeo. "A local told us that he actually fell in with another dog in the area yesterday and they were playing away, he was licking the other dog, but unfortunately, they couldn't get close enough to get a hold," said Ivan.
"We are very much hoping to get him back, we're trying to get a tranquiliser gun, we'd hate to see him put down, if we could get him into a shed or something until we could get to him, that would be great.
"We are animal lovers here and we would hate to see him put down - that would be a last resort".
Ivan said the wolfdog got out of its enclosure two days ago.
"We've been making every effort to get him back, we have cages set up with food, we're hoping we can do this."
Anybody in the Ballinhassig and Waterfall area who spots Axel is urged to contact the Rumley Open Farm Facebook page.
