“This is just a new display we offer to visitors. We are not charging extra. The wording featuring Chow Chow dogs is correct and exactly describes what they are, so we are not cheating our visitors,” a ticket seller told the Global Times.
Another staff member explained that the zoo was too small to host real giant pandas and that the idea was drafted to make the visitors’ experience more fun.
Signs beside the enclosure make clear that “panda dogs” are not an actual breed.
This was not apparent to all visitors, however. The zoo came under the spotlight after one woman said her curiosity had been piqued when she saw cars swarming near the zoo entrance.
After entering the facility, she heard “many people asking where the panda was” but only realised the animals were dogs when she reached the enclosure.
This led some to question whether dying the dogs’ fur could be considered animal cruelty.
However, state media cited an unnamed professional pet beautician as saying dye could be used as long as it contained organic paint-based ingredients.