Recently, a tourist posted a video claiming that two strange "pandas" appeared inside the Taizhou Zoo in Jiangsu Province. Their fur was black and white, and their appearance resembled pandas, but they walked like dogs. The Taizhou Zoo ticket, posted online, was printed with the words "Panda Dog Meet and Greet," leading some to believe that dyeing dogs to look like pandas was misleading advertising to attract visitors. In response, an official from the Taizhou Medical High-tech Zone Market Supervision Bureau stated that the "panda dogs" were not labeled as pandas and did not constitute false advertising.
On May 7, a reporter from The Paper contacted Taizhou Zoo. A staff member said that the two "panda dogs" were brought in by the zoo's leadership and had already been dyed when they were brought in. They were not aware of any other details.
According to the official description of the "Panda Dog" at Taizhou Zoo posted by netizens, "'Panda Dog' is not a specific purebred dog, but a pet dog that closely resembles a panda in appearance. This name is usually used to describe dogs that have been groomed in a specific style or whose coat coloration is naturally similar to that of a panda. Their typical feature is a white base coat with black markings, especially around the eyes and ears, mimicking the facial features of a giant panda."
In response, some netizens joked, "Why do these two pandas look so dog-like?" Others questioned whether the park was using "panda dogs" as a gimmick to attract tourists, which constituted false advertising.
According to a live report by Hubei Economic Television, an official from the Market Supervision Bureau of Taizhou Medical High-tech Zone stated that the "panda dog" was not labeled as a panda and therefore did not involve false advertising. "The zoo also labeled it as a type of dog, seemingly to compensate for the fact that Taizhou does not have giant pandas. If a zoo does not meet the required qualifications and level, it cannot import giant pandas. Giant pandas have high requirements for their breeding environment, and this is a marketing tactic used by the zoo."
According to Xiaoxiang Morning Post, a staff member at Taizhou Zoo stated that the "Panda Dog" was inspired by online sources, and its "real form" is a Chow Chow. Regarding netizens' joking claim that "it was borrowed from a pet store and will be returned after the holiday," the staff member explained, "No, it was specially imported." As for whether it will continue to be exhibited as a "Panda Dog" or a Chow Chow, she said it's currently unclear and the decision will be made by management.
A visitor revealed that there is no separate charge for visiting the "panda dogs," as it is included in the zoo admission fee. The adult ticket is 20 yuan, children under 1.4 meters tall are free, and children over 1.4 meters tall pay 10 yuan. Currently, the two "panda dogs" have been named "Little Soup Dumpling" and "Little Dried Tofu."
