A Chinese zoo has come under criticism for painting chow chow dogs to pass them off as pandas. The zoo in Jiangsu Province showcased the “panda dog” over the Labor Day vacation from May 1 to May 5. While thousands of people gathered to witness the alleged pandas, others believed their behavior was weird, as they shook their heads like dogs.
Visitors’ clips appeared to show the puppies with black limbs, ears, and eye rings, but their doglike traits were still clearly apparent. Angry visitors claimed they were misled into believing they would see actual pandas, resulting in a wave of complaints against Taizhou Zoo over the dyed pets. They also asked if painting the puppies would be deemed animal cruelty because some dyes might contain toxic substances, reported The Sun.
According to VN Express, the zoo posted a sign indicating that visitors are visiting “panda dogs” rather than real dogs.
A signboard at the zoo read, “Panda dogs are not an actual dog breed. They are rather pet dogs that have been groomed to look like pandas or that were born with coat patterns similar to those of pandas. Such canines will often have a white undercoat with black markings around the eye rims and ears, mimicking the facial features of a giant panda.”