A Chinese zoo has come under fire after visitors realised baby pandas on display were actually two dogs dyed black and white.
Chow Chow dogs had their ears, eyes and paws painted black and exhibited at Taizhou Zoo in the eastern Jiangsu Province, according to videos posted on Chinese social media Douyin.
The tickets, which are believed to have gone public late last week, read “Xiong Mao Quan” which translates to “panda dogs”, Chinese newspaper The Global Times reported.
A staff member at the zoo, Liu Qiuming, told the publication the panda scheme was used to attract more visitors and better their experience.
The zoo does not have any pandas of its own.
The display has reportedly raised concerns of fraud but another staffer has insisted the zoo has not tricked or manipulated its visitors.
IN PICTURES: ‘Snow leopard’ escapes a Tokyo zoo in annual event
“This is just a new display we offer to visitors. We are not charging extra,” a ticket seller told The Global Times.
“The wording featuring Chow Chow dogs is correct and exactly describes what they are, so we are not cheating our visitors.”
