'Truly made in China': Chinese zoo dyes chow chow dogs to resemble pandas. Watch

In a bizarre turn of events, guests at the Shanwei Zoo in China were left astounded when they witnessed what appeared to be pandas exhibiting unusual behaviours, including panting and barking. This strange behaviour quickly led visitors to suspect that the animals might not be the genuine pandas the zoo had claimed.

(Also read: ‘Panda dog’: China zoo paints chow chow dogs to look like pandas, fools thousands of visitors)

Zoo forced to admit deception

Following widespread outrage and condemnation from the public, zoo authorities were compelled to come clean about their misleading practices. They confessed to a shocking ruse: ordinary dogs had been painted with black and white markings to create the illusion of pandas, deceiving unsuspecting visitors.

A visitor’s video showcased one of the ‘pandas’ panting while lounging on a rock, while another was spotted strutting around with a curly tail. Initially, the zoo attempted to maintain its facade by claiming the animals were a rare breed known as “panda dogs.” However, it didn’t take long for the truth to emerge. The zoo eventually admitted that they had dyed chow chows, as reported by the New York Post.

Watch the clip here:

Refunds and social media backlash

Realising they had been duped, several visitors demanded refunds, feeling cheated by the zoo’s antics. The revelation of this bizarre deception sparked a wave of amusement and incredulity on social media, with many users mocking the zoo and questioning how such a stunt could have been allowed to occur.

(Also read: 55-year-old Chinese delivery driver working 18 hours daily dies while napping on bike)

Reactions from the internet

Many expressed their reactions online, with one guest commenting, “How could they even think we wouldn’t notice? A panda with a curly tail and barking?” Another shocked user wrote, “Truly made in China”

A disturbing trend in China

This incident is not an isolated case. In May, the Taizhou Zoo in Jiangsu Province faced similar criticism after it was revealed that they had dyed chow chows' faces to masquerade them as pandas. A representative from Taizhou Zoo explained at the time, “There are no panda bears at the zoo, and we wanted to do this as a result.”