A wild monitor lizard retreated inside a family's garage to hide from a dog.

The reptile wandered on the street searching for food when it crossed paths with the pooch in Chonburi province, Thailand, on May 13.

CCTV footage shows the creature sliding into the space under the gate to escape the furious dog.

The 4ft-long lizard crawled towards the house and refused to leave while its opponent guarded outside.

House owner Usanee said: ‘There was nothing to eat in our garage, but the monitor lizard didn't want to leave. When we watched the security camera, we found out why.'

The lizard was later caught and released into a canal while the neighbour kept their dog inside.

Asian water monitor lizards normally live in canals, swamps, sewers and ponds in cities in Thailand. They feed on fish, snakes, frogs and scraps of food left by humans.

The reptiles are aggressive when threatened and have a mildly venomous bite which sometimes carries harmful bacteria. The Godzilla-like reptiles are also a protected species in the country so their population thrives.