These pandas were boring. Dogs were painted white and black to pass as real pandas at a zoo in China, drawing criticism for misleading thousands of guests who were excited to see some real bamboo-eating bears.

According to an article published on May 4 by Chinese media Jiupai News, which was translated by 9gag, the zoo, located in the province of Jiangsu, organized the meet-and-greet with the wild animals during China’s five-day Labour Day holiday from May 1 to 5.

Pictures of the event’s ticket shared on the Chinese microblogging website Weibo showed that guests were invited to meet the animal called panda dogs (熊猫犬).

A zoo in China drew criticism for misleading guests by painting dogs to resemble pandas during a holiday event

Tens of thousands of people reportedly visited the panda dogs. But unbeknownst to them, “panda dogs” was a species name to be taken literally, as they paid to go see dogs that had been dyed to look like pandas.

In response to the growing backlash unveiled on social media, a zoo staff member confirmed with Jiupai News that the panda dogs were actually Chow Chows who debuted their panda-like appearance during the Labour Day holiday.

The Chow Chow is an all-purpose dog of ancient China, the American Kennel Club writes. The breed is notable for its sturdy build, lion-like mane, deep-set almond eyes, and unique blue-black tongue.

Pictures of the event’s ticket shared on Weibo showed that guests were invited to meet the animal called panda dogs

Another zoo staff member reportedly claimed that the animal park got the idea of dyeing the dogs into pandas online.

The employee told Jiangsu News: “This way, we will be able to add more fun into the zoo and boost footfall.”

He further explained that due to its relatively compact size, the zoo couldn’t accommodate real giant pandas.

The panda dogs were actually Chow Chows who debuted their panda-like appearance during the Labour Day holiday

Regarding the dyeing of the dogs, another zoo worker expressed a lack of ethical concerns, as they said: “Normal individuals also dye their hair.

“As such, if dogs grow out their hair, they could also dye it.

“This is the same as human hair.”

As per American pet food company Hill’s Pet, hair dye for humans on pets can be toxic. This is especially dangerous since dogs lick themselves.

The website warns against using products that contain harsh chemicals, such as hydrogen peroxide and ammonia, as well as not dying your dog’s hair if they have a skin condition or have irritated or itchy skin, as dye could further aggravate it.

In 2021, animal rights nonprofit Peta denounced a dog owner for nearly killing their four-legged loyal friend as a result of dying their fur.

“Dog hair dye jobs can cause dogs to have a serious allergic reaction or stress them out,” Peta reported at the time. “Some animals may even sustain burns or be fatally poisoned by the toxins.”

“If Wish did zoos,” a reader commented

How do you feel about zoos using dyed dogs to mimic other animals?