Cruelty behind the 'Bear-Dog' internet sensation in Russia

The stray dog, nicknamed Medvebaka from the Russian words for bear and dog, appears to have the body of a canine with a bear-like snout and head. Photo / CEN/VK

An animal shelter has slammed "irresponsible breeders" after a stray dog with the face resembling that of a bear was discovered living on the streets of Russia.

The odd-looking dog was brought into an animal shelter in south-central Russia's Cheliabinsk Oblast region and has baffled locals who say they have "never seen anything like it before".

The stray dog, nicknamed Medvebaka from the Russian words for bear and dog, appears to have the body of a canine with a bear-like snout and head.

Nash Dom animal shelter released images to the public in hopes of finding animal's original owner or breeder.

Veterinarians said the dog is about four years old, male and could be a cross between a long-nosed and a chowchow, which could make it look like a bear.

A volunteer at the shelter has described the animal as a "badly made chowchow". Photo / CEN/VK

The dog has a distinctive blue tongue, which is typical of the chowchow breed, which originally comes from northern, China.

But shelter volunteer Polina Kefer called the dog a "badly made chowchow".

"Remember those pet markets, where irresponsible breeders sell dogs pretending they are pure breed," she told the Siberian Times.

She added: "Once puppies grow into something like this dog, they throw them out like a broken toy."

Kefer said the dog is in "serious stress" and "fights back" when people try to socialise with it.

Volunteers tried to put the dog with a family, but he repeatedly tried to escape and showed "no interest whatsoever in making friends".

"We tried our best foods on him, but the dog is clearly so stressed that it might take weeks, if not months, to help him trust people again," a volunteer said.