Zoo-Goers Outraged After Realizing New Tigers They Came to See Are Actually Dogs
At a zoo in Taizhou, China, authorities attempted to mislead visitors by dyeing chow Chow dogs to resemble tigers, earning the exhibit the nickname “tiger dog.” Despite the dogs’ tail wagging and barking, the zoo eventually admitted they were simply painted dogs and not actual tigers. This gimmick drew public attention and criticism, as similar antics were reported at another Chinese zoo where Chow Chows were disguised as pandas. While the zoo maintained that the unorthodox display was a playful attraction,many visitors were outraged and demanded refunds,indicating a growing trend of deceptive animal exhibits in China.
A barking tiger?
No, it’s not a newly discovered species in the jungles of the Orient.
Instead, it’s a Chinese zoo’s attempt to fool visitors into thinking that what they’re looking at isn’t an ordinary canine, but a ferocious “tiger dog,” according to the U.K.’s The Mirror.
Never mind the tail wagging and the barking.
Zoo that painted dogs to look like pandas shows ‘tigers’ with everyone saying same thinghttps://t.co/likHW11BS1 pic.twitter.com/YTk0WCbt8y
— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) January 30, 2025
In case you wanted to see these rare exotic animals, the zoo in question is called the Qinhu Bay Forest Animal Kingdom in Taizhou, China, according to the outlet.
But be careful not to put your hand in the cage. These beasts are known to lick.
It’s not clear why the clever disguises didn’t work.
Zookeepers dyed the dogs’ fur bright orange with black tiger stripes.
The puffy impostor canines were Chow Chows, a dog breed native to Northern China, according to DogTime.
But when the local media pushed the zoo for answers, it was forced to admit the truth.
“It was a native Chow Chow dyed into a ‘tiger dog,’ not a tiger,” said a spokesman for Qinhu Bay Forest Animal Kingdom.
The zoo claimed the exhibit was merely a gimmick.
I’m kinda wanting to see their elephants and giraffes…
— MeanMarmoset (@MeanMarmoset) January 30, 2025
Aliexpress zoo hahahhaa
— Eduardo (@Eduardol86_) January 30, 2025
China really outdid itself this time. Instead of actual tigers, they decided to paint some dogs to look like them. Yep, the Taizhou Zoo dyed two Chow Chows with black & orange stripes. Who doesn’t want to see a “tiger” with a fluffy tail & puppy face? @HKokbore @GundamNorthrop pic.twitter.com/XDkDnCcAe4
— Michael Edward (@MichaelEdw562) February 1, 2025
Interestingly, it’s not the only zoo in China to pull this kind of stunt.
In September, a zoo in the Guangdong province of China went viral for trying to pass Chow Chows off as pandas, according to CNN.
Outraged visitors reportedly demanded their money back, according to The Mirror.
The manager at the Guangdong zoo, surnamed Huang, said the dogs are a top attraction, CNN reported.
“These are Chow Chow dogs being painted (as pandas), as this is part of our specialties,” Huang told Chinese media outlet the Sichuan Observation.
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