According to the British daily “The Sun”, visitors who were hoping to see rare and cute animals were fooled when, instead of seeing pandas, they were met with animals that did not even try to hide the fact that they were ordinary dogs. Videos circulating in the media showed one of the painted animals panting in the sun with its tongue sticking out.
“Panda Dog” in Chinese zoo
After the hoax was exposed, the zoo decided to defend itself. It stated that there was never any certainty that there was a real panda in the enclosure. In conversations with local media, a zoo representative emphasized that the name “panda dog” does not mean that the animal is a real panda. He noted that the term is sometimes used to describe small dogs that may resemble pandas. However, due to clear public opposition, the zoo was closed.
– We never said they were pandas. These are “panda dogs,” a zoo representative told local media.
