People outraged as “panda” exhibit at Chinese zoo actually dogs dyed black and white

Some dogs in a Chinese zoo joined the identity revolution and transformed into miniature versions of a vulnerable species at a new exhibit.

Despite the cuteness overload, many visitors of the zoo are outraged that dogs were used as imposters of the rare bear, a species that’s endemic to China.

Keep reading to learn why people are fuming over these dogs who identify as the beloved panda bear!

On May 1, 2024, visitors lined up outside the gates of a zoo in China, excited to see a new attraction.

When the Taizhou Zoo, in Jiangsu province, unveiled the animals, eager crowds gushed over the fuzzy four-legged creatures, with white faces and black spots around their eyes and ears.

The adorable animals looked like miniature pandas, but they weren’t bears at all.

Panda dogs

The Taizhou Zoo’s panda dogs – that in China have become increasingly popular over the past decade – were presented to visitors as part of an attraction that captured a lot of attention.

Zoo officials admitted to dying Chow Chow dogs to resemble the distinctive black-and-white patterns of pandas.

To be clear, the zoo – that has no real pandas – claims this exhibit was not intended to trick visitors into thinking the cute creatures were real bears.