Man gasps as botched wolf tattoo looks like Alsatian puppy and has ‘ruined’ his leg

Dan Austin was left outraged when his ‘wolf’ tattoo ended up looking more like an Alsatian puppy or ‘generic cat’ – and he accused the artist of ‘ruining’ his leg

This is definitely a tattoo he’ll regret.

Getting a tattoo is a big commitment, and you have to have a huge amount of trust in your artist that they will fulfil your vision exactly the way you want it. After all, one wrong move and the tattoo can look completely different – and often not very good. That’s the exact problem Dan Austin faced when he went to a tattoo artist to ask for a wolf to be inked onto his leg. But the end result has “ruined” his skin – because the ink looks more like a “generic cat” than a fierce wolf.

Painter and decorator Dan paid £200 upfront back in 2020 to have a picture of a wolf standing against the moon, but it was left unfinished after the tattoo artist cancelled appointments “three times”, Hull Live reports. He said: “The tattoo artist was so rough when he was doing it that it did nothing but bleed and the tattoo has scarred my skin. Since it was done I messaged the tattoo artist for fixing and finishing, but he’s done nothing but ignore me and cancel three times as he said he had migraines.

“It was meant to be a wolf but it looks like a generic cat or even an Alsatian puppy – it’s never been a wolf in its life. An absolute mess is what it is and needs fixing – someone in primary school could have done a better job. It’s really got me down. I like to wear shorts but can’t do that anymore and now have to wear trousers all the time.”

Mr Austin doubts that the tattoo is something that even “Tattoo Fixers could not fix” and has been left “shocked” by the ordeal. “My leg is now ruined by the tattoo and I think what has been done is absolutely shocking,” he said. “I always have wanted a wolf tattoo and my girlfriend bought me it as a gift, but it looks nothing like the picture I showed him at all.

“I want my money back and I want the cost of laser surgery covering as well to remove it, as I certainly don’t trust going back to him for the moon and trees I wanted to be added.”

Dan was tattooed by Matt Watts, who later spoke out to say he always intended on finishing Dan’s tattoo and was baffled by the man’s complaints because he “responded positively” after the initial session. “We were all optimistic and eager to get him back in to get it finished and looking its best,” said Matt. “He was confident about the design he wanted during the consultation process and was in full agreement about how it would be realised.”

The tattooist said Dan gave the thumbs up on the design stencils that were used before he was inked, so he was “saddened” to learn the man wasn’t happy with the work. Matt said he understands how “meaningful and personal” a tattoo can be and he and his colleagues are always focused on “getting it right”.

He claimed that Dan’s follow-up session was cancelled due to the second Covid-19 lockdown that took place in late 2020. They eventually managed to pencil Dan in for an appointment in December, but by that time the man had demanded free laser removal and a refund.

A version of this story was first published on 16 December 2020.

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