There are few things more exciting in life than bringing home an adorable little puppy, but imagine if your little furry bundle of joy turned out to be a disease-carrying rat?
According to the Mirror , that’s exactly the dilemma which presented itself to a man in China when he thought he’d got the deal of the century from a dodgy dog dealer.
The man who wishes to remain anonymous, to spare his blushes, was in the market looking for a four-legged friend to share his life with when he came across what he thought was the perfect opportunity.
Speaking to Chinese news outlet btime, the animal lover explained how he was a lonely office worker and considered a puppy the best bet to brighten up his life.
He brought the jet black puppy for a bargain price from what he thought was a reputable dog breeder, but as the little adorable bundle of fang and fur began to grow, creeping doubts about the exact nature of the beast began to gnaw softly at the man’s mind.
He began to doubt the authenticity of the animal due to its weird and distinctly un-puppy-like behavior. According to its anxious owner, it also “didn’t run like a dog.”
At his wit’s end, the man posted pictures of the four-legged animal on social media and asked for people’s advice on what it was.
The animal, which is small with short legs and large ears, was quickly identified as a bamboo rat.
This sort of rat is a native to Southern China, Burma, and Vietnam.
The rats, which can measure up to 50 centimeters with a 20 centimeters tail, tend to live in forests and grassy areas. As their name suggests, the rats’ staple diet is bamboo but they are also often found on the menu in China where they are cooked and sold in markets across the country.
The worst part is, and this is quite a crucial factor, bamboo rats also carry the disease-causing mold Penicillium marneffei.
Shocked to his core to discover he was the proud owner of a rat, the man immediately gave the fake pup away because he confessed he did not know how to look after a rodent. Or for that matter did he have much inclination to do so.
Observers have noted the man’s plight is like the film Gremlins, but instead of bringing home Gizmo he brought back Spike.
