Chinese pet cafe dyes dogs as pandas, sparks bemusement and concern online

A news report about a new pet cafe in Chengdu, China that dyes dogs to look like pandas has both ire and joy from Chinese netizens, who sent the clip viral after watching it tens of thousands of times on microblogging site Weibo.

The video by Hongxing News showed Chow Chow dogs dyed with the distinctive black and white pattern of the country’s national animal, with the owner of the premises in Sichuan province admitting that each dye job takes a whole day and costs a startling 1,500 yuan ($212). 

The business is offering the dye service to canine clients after the panda-like appearance of its own dogs proved such a hit. Though cafe owner Huang said he ensured that the dye will not harm the dogs, a vet weighing in on the issue claimed that it could damage their fur and their skin.

Commenters were deeply polarized over the footage, with some expressing intense alarm over the canines and the potential harm caused by the chemical dyes, and criticizing treating the pets like some sort of joke. 

“There is something wrong!” one concerned viewer wrote, as another posted: “Don’t treat dogs like this.”

Others saw the lighter side, saying the expensive color-work was “pretty cool” or “too cute”, and wondering what this dog-panda hybrid should be called.

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