The fox in its cage. [Photo/Sina Weibo]

A couple in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province were shocked to find that the "dog" which they had decided to adopt was a fox, Yangcheng Evening News reported.

The man surnamed Huang found the animal sitting outside his house on a rainy day last week and decided to offer the shivering creature a home.

Huang's wife gave the "dog" a bath, but she noticed something out of place - the animal's tail was unusually fluffy for a canine.

It also had a ferocious-looking set of teeth and a pungent scent that wouldn't go away even after being washed.

The animal even managed to escape after biting open the iron cage, but luckily it was recovered on the Huangs' balcony.

The fox was later sent to a wild animal center and local wildlife authorities said it was likely an Arctic fox which was abandoned after someone tried to raise it as a pet.

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