"lion dog" picked up by animal control after seen running in street

Charles the Monarch, the Labradoodle famous for his lion-like haircut, will stay at the city’s animal shelter until a hearing next week.
Drew Richard found the dog about 5:45 or 6 p.m. Wednesday, running free in the area of 38th Street and Colley Avenue, Richard said.
Richard heard cars honking at the dog because it was running in the street, he said. The dog ran a couple of laps around the 7-Eleven parking lot, and Richard managed to get him into his car, took him to his home and called animal control.
An Animal Protection officer picked up the dog from Richard’s house and took it to the city’s shelter. The officer stopped by the home of Charles’ owner, Daniel Painter, but he wasn’t there, said police spokeswoman Jo Ann Hughes. The officer left a notice indicating the city will keep the dog until Painter appears at Tuesday’s hearing.
Reached by phone Thursday, Painter said the dog had escaped from his fenced backyard. Painter said he was in Richmond when he heard Charles had been picked up. He found a notice on his door from Animal Protection when he returned Wednesday but wasn’t aware of a hearing. He said he intended to check the notice.
“He’s fenced,” said Painter, who added he keeps the dog on a leash. “He just got out.”
Hughes said Animal Protection officers will cite Painter with having a nuisance animal. Wednesday’s incident marks the fourth time Charles has ended up at the city’s shelter since 2010.
 
Charles became famous in 2013 after people spotted him running near the zoo and called emergency dispatchers. One person believed a baby lion had escaped.
Painter cuts the dog’s hair to resemble the Old Dominion University mascot.
Charles became a sensation, appearing around Hampton Roads and on “Good Morning America.” He has a Facebook page with more than 55,000 fans.
In late 2013, Painter was cited for having a nuisance animal . Animal Protection received a call that the dog was running free at the Ghent Hardee’s . Painter said he went into the restaurant and left the dog leashed to his truck, but Charles’ collar slipped off.
He said the dog was sitting at the door of the restaurant and wasn’t being a nuisance.
When the case went to court in early 2014, a judge ordered Painter to keep the dog on a leash.
In 2014, Charles got more media attention when another dog owned by Painter, Samantha, gave birth to a litter of puppies. They all were sold, Painter said. Samantha, he said, now belongs to a friend.

Cindy Clayton, 757-446-2377, cindy.clayton@pilotonline.com