【steampunk eroticism】

It was just so intense: An innocent pug,steampunk eroticism ripped violently from his owner's arms. The story sent the internet into a tailspin, but now the police seem to think it doesn't add up.

When the alleged crime emerged on Feb. 10, the internet fell hook, line and sinker for the tale of Egg, a young pet pug from Sydney, Australia that had reportedly been snatched from his owner at knifepoint.

The New South Wales police issued an appeal for information on Facebook at the time, stating that the pup was stolen by three unknown men armed with knives. "Police are urging the men to safely return the dog and attend their nearest police station," they wrote.

The pug-napping even managed to reach countries as far-flung as France. And Twitter, as Twitter is wont to do, went into meltdown mode.

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Now it's emerged the police are charging Egg's owner with making a false report, Fairfax Mediareported Wednesday, casting the truth of the whole damn mess into doubt.

Police allege his owner made the robbery up, but at that point, they were still looking for the 14-week-old doggo. "The main thing is, we really don't know what has happened to Egg or where Egg is," a NSW Police spokesman told the publication. "Anyone with information of the dog's whereabouts is urged to contact police."

Does that mean Egg is a complete hoax? Or that Egg is missing, but was not stolen at knifepoint? Either way, the internet is peeved.

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You gotta take everything with a grain of salt these days, it seems -- even a heart-wrenching story about a poor young pup.

NSW Police has been contacted for comment.

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