'Barking & panting': Chinese zoo paints dogs black & white to pass as pandas; video goes viral (WATCH)

Visitors at the Shanwei Zoo in China were in for a shock after they discovered that the 'pandas' there were actually just painted dogs.

In a bizarre turn of events, visitors to Shanwei Zoo in China were left stunned when they witnessed the zoo's supposed pandas behaving in ways that defied their expectations. Guests were shocked to see the 'pandas' panting and even barking, raising immediate suspicions about their authenticity.

What began as mere confusion soon turned into outrage, as observant guests realized that the animals were not the majestic pandas they had been led to believe. Faced with mounting public criticism and a flood of complaints, zoo officials had no choice but to come clean about the startling truth.

In an extraordinary confession, the zoo revealed that the 'pandas' on display were, in fact, ordinary dogs painted with black and white markings. 

One visitor captured a video that quickly went viral, showing a so-called panda panting while resting on a rock, while another 'panda' was seen pacing around with a distinctively curly tail. Initially, the zoo tried to cover its tracks, insisting that these were a rare breed of "panda dogs."

However, the truth soon emerged: the animals were nothing more than chow chows, a fluffy dog breed, dyed to resemble pandas.

According to a report from the New York Post, zoo officials ultimately admitted to the elaborate charade, confessing to coloring the chow chows to mislead the public. Outraged visitors demanded refunds, feeling duped by the brazen deception.

Social media users quickly picked up on the bizarre incident, with many finding humor in the zoo’s antics. "The people were bamboozled. The zoo really does the bear minimum," one user quipped, while another commented, "Bro, this can’t be real. But if it is, it’s the funniest thing I’ve read in a LOOOOONG time."

Notably, this isn't an isolated incident in China. Just a few months earlier, Taizhou Zoo in Jiangsu Province faced similar backlash for pulling the same stunt. Chow chows had been dyed and passed off as pandas to the dismay of visitors. A representative from the Taizhou Zoo later explained, “There are no panda bears at the zoo, and we wanted to do this as a result.”