A MAN has been relentlessly mocked online after getting a tattoo to match a mark he spotted on his rescue dog – only to realise the symbol means something very embarrassing.
After Chris Mendiola adopted pooch Bear, he noticed the pup had a small outline tattoed on his belly.
The fuming Texan said he was “sickened” to find his four-legged friend had been inked after he had “bounced from home to home” before Chris took him in.
Thinking he was showing solidarity with his pet, Chris boldly decided to get a tattoo of his own to match Bear’s belly art.
Taking to Facebook, Chris shared photos of him and his best friend’s matching tats, writing: “For those of you who know bear know that he has a tattoo given to him from some previous owners.
“It sickens me to know that people actually tattoo their pets. So tonight I got his tattoo.”
But after proudly showing off his fresh ink on social media, stunned users pointed out what the symbol actually means – that his dog had been neutered.
One wrote: “That means he’s neutered! My rescue female has one too!! Makes a cool story though!!”
Another asked: “Are you neutered too?” while a third chipped in to say “Guess you’re neutered.”
Chris adopted Bear back in 2010 and got the tat in 2017 – but his cringe-worthy mishap has now resurfaced on Reddit as users think he was barking mad to get the ink.
One person joked: “I’m going to get this after my vasectomy.”
Another added: “On a positive note, maybe he’ll have more friends, if people think they don’t have to worry about him humping their legs.”
The US Association of Shelter Veterinarians states that neutered dogs are required to have a small tattoo indicating that they have had the procedure.
This means that Bear’s inking was unlikely to have come from a previous owner, and was far more likely to have been done by a vet.
Despite getting a huge wave of shocked responses from social media users, Chris insisted he knew what the symbol meant before having it etched onto his body forever.
“We talked to our vet about the tattoo,” he previously told Buzzfeed.
“I knew what it meant.”
