Residents in Milwaukee have been on edge this week following reports of a lion on the loose in the city and on Tuesday a man mistakenly shot a dog believing it was the feline.

According to FOX 6, the man, who lives in Milwaukee’s Northside near where the sightings were reported, told police he thought he spotted the lion around 6:30 p.m. and shot it. In reality, the animal that took the bullet was actually a large pit bull.

"It's ludicrous. It's not tall and not anywhere near the size of a lion," said Karen Sparapani, director of the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission. "We are trying to tell people not to panic."

The dog was hit in the leg and suffered a fractured bone, but officials said Wednesday that it is expected to make a full recovery.

As of Thursday morning, the lion supposedly prowling the town has not yet been found.

In an effort to calm worried residents, the Milwaukee Zoo assured the public on Twitter that all of its lions were accounted for.

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