A zoo in east China has come under fire for using a “deceptive” PR gimmick to attract crowds after it dyed dogs black and white to look like pandas.

According to clips posted on Chinese social media, Taizhou Zoo, in Jiangsu province, advertised the attraction of “Xiong Mao Quan”, which translates as “panda dogs” to boost its visitor footfall during the May Day holiday.

Some were left perplexed to instead find Chow Chows whose fur had been dyed black and white.

The “deceptive tactic may have led visitors to misunderstand what was on offer,” said Chinese state media outlet, The Global Times, quoting lawyers in media reports as saying: “Inevitably the visitors will feel disappointed and deceived upon discovering the truth.”

However, the zoo has denied it was a fraudulent scheme.

“This is just a new display we offer to visitors. We are not charging extra. The wording featuring Chow Chow dogs is correct and exactly describes what they are, so we are not cheating our visitors,” a ticket seller told the Global Times.

Another staff member explained that the zoo was too small to host real giant pandas and that the idea was drafted to make the visitors’ experience more fun.

Signs beside the enclosure make clear that “panda dogs” are not an actual breed.

This was not apparent to all visitors, however. The zoo came under the spotlight after one woman said her curiosity had been piqued when she saw cars swarming near the zoo entrance.

After entering the facility, she heard “many people asking where the panda was” but only realised the animals were dogs when she reached the enclosure.

This led some to question whether dying the dogs’ fur could be considered animal cruelty.

However, state media cited an unnamed professional pet beautician as saying dye could be used as long as it contained organic paint-based ingredients.