"Painted Canine Pandas": Chinese Zoo Gains Attention for Enticing Visitors with Altered Puppies
The fluffy Chow Chow pooches, decorated to symbolize the nation's cherished national emblem, were captured on film by a zoo visitor in Guangdong province's south.
The viral video, shared on Douyin, China's equivalent of TikTok, on Monday, has garnered over 1.4 million shares and over 725,000 likes.
Another user posted a snapshot on social media, depicting the black and white canines in a pen adjacent to a "painted dogs" sign.
The sign reads, "We are Panda Dogs, a lovable pet canine that takes on a panda-like appearance through dyeing and costumes, cared for by Chow Chow. We are affectionate, intelligent, friendly, cute, and endearing!"
The zoo's director, surnamed Huang, stated that the dogs are one of their primary attractions.
"As our name implies, we are 'Strange Animals and Enchanting Pets Paradise,'" she told Sichuan Observation, a state-linked outlet. "These are Chow Chow dogs that have been painted (to resemble pandas), which is part of our specialties."
Visitors at a zoo in southern China's Guangdong province are seen feeding a Chow Chow dog painted to resemble a panda. This isn't the first time dogs have been painted to resemble pandas or other wild animals in China.
In May, a zoo in eastern Jiangsu province ignited controversy after visitors found out they had colored two dogs black and white to resemble pandas. After facing extensive criticism, the zoo acknowledged the deception.
A cafe in the southwestern city of Chengdu also faced backlash in 2019 for offering a dyeing service for customers to transform their pets into pandas. And in 2016, pet shops in Guangdong were discovered selling dogs dyed to resemble miniature tigers.
Visitors frequently express interest in the Chow Chow dogs that are transformed into panda-like appearances at the zoo, making it a popular attraction.
Many travelers seek out such unique experiences when visiting China, and the painted Chow Chow dogs are no exception.
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