Internet Has Bold Reactions After Chinese Zoo Goes Viral for Pandas That Are Actually Painted Dogs

The internet is having a field day with the photos and videos of “pandas” that emerged this week from a zoo in China.

Footage shared on social media by people visiting the zoo in Shanwei, a city located in China’s southern Guangdong province, showed two Chow Chows painted black and white to make them look like pandas. A sign outside the enclosure identified them as “Panda Dogs” and assured visitors they “are gentle, smart, friendly, cute and adorable,” CNN reported on Friday, Sept. 20.

The manager of the zoo told Chinese media outlets that the painted dogs were one of the location’s “specialties.” Even so, the unusual display caused videos of the disguised dogs to go viral on social media, with their true identities revealed as they engaged in non-panda-like behaviors, such as barking and panting, while trotting around their enclosure.

Though some social media users expressed concern about the dogs being painted for the stunt, most found the images “hilarious.”

“When you lie on your resume but still get the job,” one person joked in response to photos of the dogs that were reposted on Instagram.

“Truly Made In China,” one Instagram user noted as another observed, “They didn’t even try 😭.”

Some internet users reacting to the “panda-monium” online shared that they would be thrilled to visit pets disguised to look like other animals.

“I’d love to see a shelter where all the animals are painted (humanely and with safe products) to look like other animals 😍 I’d adopt a tiger dog so fast,” one Instagram user shared as another agreed, writing, “Okay but imagine being able to cuddle a pandog!??!! SIGN ME UP!!!!”

“So what you're saying is... I can finally pet a panda,” one curious person commented.

“Honestly they could make a whole zoo out of painted dogs of various breeds and I would still go,” another person wrote on Reddit.

Next: Robert Irwin Fans Gush Over His 'Irwin Charm' in Video of Him Saving Endangered Animal