Shocked Italian firefighters did a double take when they went to rescue an exhausted dog and discovered it was a fully grown wolf.

Well-wishers had called emergency services in Verona to report a growling dog collapsed beside a canal.

But when they got there, the firefighters discovered that the dog was actually a wild wolf.

Footage from the rescue – on 25th January – shows the wolf exhausted and cold and unable to get up the bank by itself.

Using a safety loop, the firefighters manage to lift up the wolf, which shows off a mouthful of dangerous-looking teeth.

Finally, they manage to manhandle the beast into a transporter box and make sure it was healthy and cared for before releasing it back into the wild.