A Chinese zoo has come under fire after admitting that it disguised huge dogs as “pandas.” It was recently discovered that the zoo was duping visitors by painting Chow Chows white and black to make them look like pandas. The shocking news has taken over social media as people continue to express their disbelief and outrage over the scam.
Chinese Zoo admits painting chow chows to make them look like Pandas
According to the New York Post, the local media reported that the visitors caught the scam at the Shanwei Zoo when one of the “pandas” began “panting and barking.” The video shared by zoogoers on social media have given a closer look at the disguised dogs. The clip shows the canine panting with its tongue out. Meanwhile, another strolls on the grass nearby with its fluffy tail on display.
Here is the video being circulated online:
The Shanwei Zoo initially denied rumors by claiming the animals were a breed of “panda dogs.” However, they later admitted that they dyed two Chow Chows, a spitz-type dog breed originally from Northern China. The canines were painted in black and white dye to look like pandas. After the scam was exposed, the zoogoers demanded their money back.
Earlier this year, Newsflare reported that a similar incident took place at a zoo in eastern China. The video shared by the outlet showed two pups with black and white patches. However, the exhibit described them as “panda dogs.” A Taizhou Zoo’s spokesperson stated that “there’s no deception” because they “made it clear beforehand that they’re not real pandas.”
The spokesperson further explained that the idea of dyeing the two dogs “came from the internet.” This was done “to boost the zoo’s appeal and increase visitor numbers.” The Taizhou Zoo’s spokesperson stated they couldn’t bring in real pandas because the zoo’s size and insufficient qualifications prevented them from doing so.
