‘Panda dogs’ in China zoo spark row as pups are actually dyed canines, practice triggers allegations of animal cruelty
- Visitors throng to see pets which look like pandas, but are cheaper to keep
- Zoo accused of animal abuse, experts say dyes damage canine health
Two extremely popular so-called panda dogs at a zoo in China are actually chow canines dyed black and white to look like the wild bears.
On May 3, a video of the panda-like dogs at Taizhou Zoo in Jiangsu province, eastern China, received 1.1 million likes on Douyin.
“After entering the zoo, I heard many people asking where the pandas were. Then I followed the crowd, and it wasn’t until I reached the enclosure that I realised they were actually dogs,” one visitor said.
Admission to see the dogs is included in the zoo’s general entry ticket, which costs 20 yuan (US$2.8) per adult.
The zoo states on tickets and signs that the animals are dogs not pandas.
“The panda dog is not a specific breed but rather a pet dog that resembles a panda in appearance,” the zoo says.
