Pawsitively Panda-rific: Chinese Zoo’s ‘Panda Dogs’ Draw Mixed Reactions

During the Labor Day vacations of May 1–5, a zoo in Jiangsu Province, China, came under fire for painting chow chow dogs to resemble pandas. Though the canines were meant to be “panda dogs,” some guests saw that they behaved like dogs, which made some doubtful. Reportedly, though, a lot of people continued to believe they were actual pandas.

Though the dogs had black limbs, ears, and eye rings, their unique dog traits were clearly seen in the videos that visitors uploaded. Furious visitors felt duped, which sparked a flood of complaints about the painted animals at Taizhou Zoo. As The Sun reports, worries were also expressed about possible animal abuse brought on by the usage of dangerous dyes.

There were still doubts over the moral ramifications even though the zoo did post a notice that guests were seeing “panda dogs” rather than real pandas. A zoo official clarified that they hadn’t yet gotten actual gigantic pandas because of space limitations.

Deeply ingrained in Chinese history and culture, chow chow dogs are highly valued culturally and are honored in literature. Their popularity notwithstanding, the zoo’s choice to change their look sparked ethical and conservation questions.