Chinese Zoo Under Fire for Using Dogs in Their Panda Exhibit
Last year, the Hangzhou Zoo in China made worldwide news after people from across the internet accused them of using people in costumes to perform as sun bears in an exhibit. This controversy was great for a few days of laughs, but ultimately, Hangzhou Zoo and zookeepers from around the world more or less debunked the rumor- sun bears just really do look like that.
But now, a different Chinese zoo is once again making head lines for a controversial bear exhibit- only this time, it's much easier to prove that this one doesn't have any actual bears. The Taizhou Zoo has spurred on fresh controversy after advertising a new "panda" exhibit, only for customers to find an exhibit full of painted dogs.
Uh... props for creativity, I guess? According to @skynews, the Chinese zoo invited guests to come visit their new "panda dog" exhibit. Excited, zoo visitors walked up to the exhibit, only to find... this. They're cute, but they're not pandas!
Unlike last year's Hangzhou Zoo sun bear controversy, this one was pretty cut-and-dry. The "panda dogs" advertised by the zoo were actually chow chow dogs that had been dyed black and white to resemble giant pandas. To their credit, the markings are pretty spot-on, and they could almost pass for panda cubs- but only for a moment.
The Public's Problem with 'Panda Dogs'
While some evidently found the unusual exhibit pretty cute, plenty of people took offense at the exhibit for a number of reasons, including claiming that they were deceived by false advertising. According to the Today Show, the Jiangzhou Zoo confirmed on Chinese social media that the "panda dogs" exhibit was thought up to "fill in the blank" of the zoo not having any real pandas. A zoo worker also claimed that visitors were not misled, and the exhibit accurately described the dogs. I mean, they sure do look like panda dogs...
Others found the exhibit cruel, fearing that the dye could harm the dogs. Again, the zoo defended this controversial decision. A zoo spokesperson, quoted in The Independent, offered this defense: "People also dye their hair. Natural dye can be used on dogs if they have long fur. There are no panda bears at the zoo and we wanted to do this as a result."
This isn't the first time that a Chinese zoo has used dogs to fill out some unconventional exhibits. According to The Independent, back in 2010 the Zhengzhou Zoo dyed a golden retriever and four chow chows to resemble a tiger. OK, now that had to have been an even harder sell than the panda dogs!
For more WanderWisdom updates, be sure to follow us on Google News!
Have you had a funny, interesting, or just highly memorable experience while traveling? We'd love for you to submit a video of your travels for a chance to be featured on WanderWisdom and our social channels! Click here to upload your clip and share your adventures with the world.
