A recent YouTube video captured the scene: puppies with black ears, legs, and distinctive dark circles around their eyes were on display, but their panting and behaviour soon raised suspicions among zoo-goers.
When questioned, the zoo acknowledged that they had dyed two Chow Chows, a breed with a thick coat native to northern China, to mimic the appearance of pandas.
Despite this, the zoo claimed they had not misled visitors, insisting instead that the animals were “panda dogs.”
The controversy has led to demands for refunds from visitors at the Guangdong Shanwei zoo, which promotes itself as home to “rare and exotic animals.”
This incident follows a similar controversy in May at Taizhou Zoo in Jiangsu Province, where two Chow Chows were also dyed black and white and trimmed to mimic pandas. That zoo faced criticism from locals who accused them of animal cruelty.
In response, the Taizhou Zoo defended their actions, explaining that they had no actual pandas to exhibit and created the “panda dogs” as an alternative attraction.
The zoo spokesperson stated, “A lot of people are coming to visit them and you need to queue up. There are no panda bears at the zoo and we wanted to do this as a result. You can see them from between 8.30am and 5pm.”
Addressing the animal cruelty claims, the spokesperson added, “People also dye their hair. Natural dye can be used on dogs if they have long fur.”
