Dogs painted to look like pandas in China zoo

CHINA: A zoo in China’s Guangdong province has admitted to painting a pair of Chow Chow dogs to look like panda bears.

According to a CNN Sept 15 report, a video on Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok)  showed pups looking like pandas going viral 1.4 million times. The video clip shows the puppies gallivanting in a zoo enclosure and panting with their tongues hanging out while they rest on a rock.

Made in China.
The Shanwei zoo admits they painted dogs white and black to make them look like pandas.
Unfortunately, dogs being dogs were not aware of the new rules and started barking. 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/Ckq6msAZkM

— Tony (@TonyL_01) September 19, 2024

The dogs in the video stood beside a “painted dogs” sign. The signage also stated, “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.”

According to a report by news.com.au, after the clip became viral, the Shanwei Zoo in Guangdong confirmed that the pandas were just Chow Chows painted black and white to resemble panda bears.

The Zoo’s location manager, Huang, said that while the painted pups may not be real, they were still a big attraction.

Apparently, this is not the first time a zoo has made dogs look like pandas. In May, the Taizhou Zoo in Jiangsu, China, also changed Chow Chows into panda dogs.

A spokesperson from the zoo justified this behavior by saying that the pups were purchased after the zoo was denied permission to keep giant pandas.

Wikipedia describes the Chow Chow as a spitz-type dog sturdily built and square in profile. It is originally from Northern China and has a broad skull and small triangular, erect ears with rounded tips. The breed also has a dense double coat that can be either smooth or rough.

Its fur is described as thick around the neck area, giving it the appearance of a mane. It is usually red, black, blue, cinnamon/fawn, or cream-colored.

While animal rights activists and people, in general, have criticized the zoo’s decision to paint domestic animals with colours that represent wild animals, a zoo official defended its decision to Qilu Evening News, saying, “Normal people dye their hair. Dogs can dye their hair, too.”