Panda or Dog? Uncover the Truth Behind Chinese Zoo's Controversy

Pandas are adorable and a great draw to any zoo that boasts having some on exhibit. However, a zoo in China made a silly choice and soon found itself in hot water after trying to pass dogs off as panda cubs.

A zoo in China is under fire for attempting to deceive visitors by promising them they could visit a panda exhibit, but in reality, all they had on display were two dogs that were dyed black and white to resemble panda bears.

The panda is China's national emblem, so it was a brave (or stupid) idea to try to trick the locals into thinking dogs were pandas!

As reported by The New York Post, videos shared on Chinese social media revealed the two "panda dogs" in an exhibit at Taizhou Zoo in Jiangsu, which opened on May 1. Despite the animals' panda-like appearance, their wagging tails and panting gave away their true identity.

Zoo officials admitted to Chinese state media that the dogs were actually Chow Chows, a fluffy dog breed native to northern China, painted to resemble giant pandas.

The zoo claimed it had clearly advertised the dogs as "panda dogs" without making any false claims. However, visitors who have shared videos of the "panda dogs" online say otherwise.

Despite not having real pandas, the zoo faced criticism from Chinese state media and others for misleading visitors and potentially mistreating the dogs.

As reported by CNN, one commenter on the Chinese social media platform Weibo expressed concern about the potential harm caused to the dogs due to their naturally thick coats and fragile skin, making them susceptible to skin diseases.

Zoo officials defended the exhibit, asserting that the dogs had not been harmed. They compared the dyeing of the dogs' fur to humans dyeing their hair, stating, "Normal people dye their hair. Dogs can dye their hair, too. It's the same as hair."

The dogs are still on display at the zoo, where officials reported that the number of visitors remained at a normal level despite the controversy.

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