Chinese zoo paints donkeys black and white to look like zebra: ‘The owner did it just for fun’

Chinese zoo faces criticism for painting donkeys to resemble zebras.

A zoo in Zibo City, Shandong Province, China, is facing backlash after it was discovered that donkeys had been painted with black and white stripes to resemble zebras in an attempt to attract more visitors. The deception was quickly noticed by parkgoers, who pointed out the poorly executed paint job, sparking widespread criticism online.

The lines were poorly drawn. (X/@Poverty_Suckz)

In response to the controversy, park representatives admitted that the stunt was a marketing strategy. A staff member defended the decision, stating, "The owner did it just for fun." They further assured that the dye used on the animals was non-toxic, according to the New York Post. However, the explanation did little to pacify critics, who slammed the zoo for misleading visitors and treating the animals unethically.

Zoo paints dogs to resemble tigers

In another similar incident, a zoo in China sparked outrage after allegedly dyeing Chow Chow dogs black and orange to resemble tigers. The controversial incident came to light after footage shared on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, showed the brightly coloured dogs confined inside wooden enclosures. The video, first reported by the Daily Mail, quickly went viral, drawing sharp criticism from social media users.

Despite the zoo's attempt to pass off the animals as tigers, online viewers were quick to call out the deception. One user questioned, "Isn’t that just a dog?" while another joked, "They definitely don’t dare to bathe their dogs for fear of discolouration." A third commenter humorously remarked, "A big tiger with a dog-like temper!"

The Qinhu Bay Forest Animal Kingdom, located in Taizhou, later admitted to local media that the animals had indeed been dyed as part of a promotional gimmick. However, they insisted that the dye used posed no harm to the dogs. "It was a native Chow Chow dyed into a ‘tiger dog,’ not a tiger," the zoo clarified, according to The Mirror.