Wednesday 8 May 2024 – 23:42
A Chinese zoo in Jiangsu province faced backlash for deceiving visitors by displaying Chow Chow dogs dyed black and white to resemble pandas and calling them “panda dogs” to boost attendance during a May Day holiday.
The zoo claims the dye is safe, but visitors feel misled, and critics worry about animal welfare.
The zoo defends their choice, pointing out the dogs’ resemblance to pandas and arguing limited space prevents housing real pandas.
‘There are no panda bears at the zoo and we wanted to do this as a result. People also dye their hair. Natural dye can be used on dogs if they have long fur,” a spokesperson for the zoo told Chinese media.
The Chinese zoo invited visitors to see a new breed of pandas
It turned out they were just painted dogs 😂
Chinese products 😁 pic.twitter.com/rIXMQvj78B
— BlueGreen Planet (@BluesWaltair) May 8, 2024
