( CNN ) -- A coiffed pooch mistaken for a lion 's cub is causing quite an uproar in Virginia . Charles the dog was frolicking down the streets in Norfolk , minding his own business , when panicked passers-by started calling 911 . With a dyed tail and a fluffy coat groomed to resemble a lion 's mane , the pup 's appearance was a little unusual . `` I 'd like to report a lion sighting , '' a man said in the 911 call . `` Say that again ? '' a dispatcher responded . A few minutes later , another call came in . `` I just saw an animal that looked like a small lion , '' a man said . `` Had the mane and everything ... I do n't know if it got away from the zoo , or what . '' And the flurry continued , including a resident who told the dispatcher that the `` baby lion '' is the size of a Labrador retriever . As soon as the calls trickled in , the Norfolk Police Department contacted the local zoo to ensure its two lions were caged and accounted for . `` We all looked at each other like , 'Could it be ? ' '' Greg Bockheim , the Virginia Zoo executive director , told CNN affiliate WAVY . Zoo workers scuttled to the lions ' cages , he said , but the big cats were fast asleep . Police moved on to more pressing matters when they realized this was n't a runaway baby Simba from `` The Lion King . '' Nor was it on the lam from the zoo . It was a Labrador-poodle mix -- full name Charles the Monarch -- strolling down the streets after a recent visit to the groomers . His owner , Daniel Painter , told the affiliate that the dog 's shave represents the lion mascot at the Old Dominion University ' . Charles has turned into a celebrity since his sighting Tuesday , and is making rounds on national morning shows . He also has a Facebook page that chronicles his life as a `` party animal . '' And the cuddly 3-year-old is not shy about his new role as the `` mane '' attraction . The most recent post on his Facebook page asked : `` Who wants a pawtograph ? ''
911 callers report `` lion sighting '' in Virginia . Local zoo workers scuttle to make sure their lions are caged . This is no runaway big cat ; it 's a pooch groomed to represent a university mascot . The pup , Charles the Monarch , is now a `` mane '' attraction .