Fake It Till You Make It: Chinese Zoo Admits To Luring Visitors With Painted 'Panda Pups'

A zoo in China has controversially admitted that its star attraction, two so-called pandas, are actually just painted dogs.

The fluffy Chow Chow dogs, disguised to resemble the beloved national animal, were captured in a viral video posted on Douyin, China's version of TikTok.

Photo Credit: https://x.com/CurtTalksTV

This clip has been shared over 1.4 million times and garnered more than 725,000 likes, reported CNN Travel.

In a photo shared by a user, the black and white dogs are seen in an enclosure with a sign reading "painted dogs."

The sign humorously claims, "We are called Panda Dogs, a pet dog that looks like a panda, dyed and dressed up by Chow Chow. We are gentle, smart, friendly, cute and adorable!"

The zoo's manager, surnamed Huang, emphasised their uniqueness, stating, "You can see by our name, we are 'Strange Animals and Cute Pets Paradise.' These are Chow Chow dogs being painted (as pandas), as this is part of our specialties."

This isn't an isolated incident; it marks a recurring trend in China.

In May, a zoo in Jiangsu province faced backlash after it was revealed that two dogs were painted to look like pandas. Following public outcry, that zoo also acknowledged the deception.

Also, a café in Chengdu received criticism in 2019 for offering a dyeing service to make pets resemble pandas, and in 2016, pet shops in Guangdong were caught selling dogs dyed to look like miniature tigers.