Chinese Zoo Draws Ire For Dyeing Dogs Black & White To Pass Them Off As Pandas

A Chinese zoo has drawn flak for painting furry dogs black and white to fool visitors, who wanted to see pandas.

Social media posts revealed that Taizhou Zoo introduced a new exhibition of “panda dogs” on May 1, with visitors being charged 20 yuan (£2.22) for access to the attraction.

However, upon arrival at the zoo in Jiangsu province, visitors discovered that the animals on display were actually chow chow dogs, a breed renowned for its dense double coat of fur native to northern China, which had been dyed black and white to resemble pandas.

According to The Global Times, legal experts asserted that visitors would inevitably feel deceived and disappointed upon learning the truth about the exhibit.

Nevertheless, a zoo worker refuted allegations of false advertising, stating that the display accurately described the chow chow dogs and denied any intention to deceive visitors.

The zoo spokesperson defended the panda exhibit by likening it to humans dyeing their hair, asserting that natural dye could be applied to dogs with long fur, and clarifying that there were no actual panda bears at the zoo.

This incident is reminiscent of a similar controversy in 2023 when Hangzhou Zoo dismissed accusations that some of its bears were people in costumes.