Two “panda dogs” in a new exhibit are actually Chow Chows dyed black and white, state media reported, citing zoo officials.

A zoo in China has been accused of trying to deceive visitors with a pair of dogs dyed black and white to look like panda bears.

Videos circulating on Chinese social media show the two “panda dogs” in an exhibit at Taizhou Zoo in the eastern province of Jiangsu that opened on May 1. Though the animals are patterned to look like pandas, which are endemic to China and an international symbol of the country, their wagging tails give them away.

Zoo officials told Chinese state media that they were Chow Chows — a fluffy dog breed originally from northern China — painted black and white to resemble giant pandas, adding that they had clearly advertised them as “panda dogs” and did not make any false claims.

The dogs are still at the zoo, officials told NBC News by phone on Friday, where the number of people coming to see them remained “at a normal level.”

  • Ogmios
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    2610 days ago

    Makes you wonder about all those really poorly drawn animals from the middle ages.

  • Corroded
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    1310 days ago

    I feel like hair dye for dogs must be a thing. Though it sounds like they used human hair dye on them.

    If it didn’t hurt them I’d think this is a little cute

    • @Shadowedcross
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      310 days ago

      There is hair dye for dogs, don’t know if it’s actually different from human hair dye though.

    • brianorca
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      310 days ago

      Hair is hair. At least they didn’t use wall paint.

      • Corroded
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        610 days ago

        Yeah but I like to think I am a bit better about not ingesting hair care products through my eyes, nose, and mouth than a Schnauzer. Hopefully it was something non-toxic

    • @nutsack
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      19 days ago

      they do it a lot in east Asia

  • @Windex007
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    1210 days ago

    If I were US law enforcement reading this story, I’d have a sudden urge to make sure Joe Exotic was still in his cell.

  • @ATDA
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    28 days ago

    I love the response from the zoo. Bro, you dye your hair, dogs can dye their hair.

    YOU JUST CALLED IT A FUCKING DOG

  • @Num10ck
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    110 days ago

    authenticity & probity.

    • SharkAttak
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      2010 days ago

      I don’t get the aim of this comment. It IS a news, maybe not world-shaking but it is. So what would define a real news for you?

      • TherouxSonfeir
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        -2810 days ago

        I don’t get the aim of this comment. Whatever I say, you’ll attack me, shark.

        • Ech
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          2010 days ago

          Gatekeeps a harmless story

          Gets called out on it

          “Why are you attacking me?!”

          If you don’t like the story, just move along. Not everything every written has to be a Pulitzer Prize contender.

    • @gsfraley
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      59 days ago

      Who pissed in your Cheerios?

    • @[email protected]
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      10 days ago

      A zoo with pretend fantasy animals still relying on real animals to sell the effect seems like a trend we may want to know about because of how shady it is.

      Wanna see a real natural animal, all cool and fun.

      accept the real natural surroundings it requires to live and thrive (i only know 2 zoos irl that do it properly)

      Wanna see fantasy creatures, also cool. Go see some in vr or a video game and accept there not actually real.

      Animal welfare wont change unless we keep the discussion going