A zoo located in Zibo City, Shandong province, China, has come under heavy scrutiny after confirming that donkeys were painted in black and white to resemble zebras.

This disclosure was covered by several media outlets, including the _New York Post_, after social media users expressed outrage, claiming the altered appearance of the animals was deceptive.

Images emerged showing a zoo staff member next to a painted donkey, which clearly displayed stripes created using dye.

In light of the escalating backlash, the zoo stated that the dye employed was non-toxic.

A zoo employee explained that the initiative was meant to be a playful promotional ploy.

They mentioned that a nearby zoo had gained attention for dressing a dog as a panda, which inspired this attempt to mirror that publicity approach.

The event has ignited calls for stricter regulations regarding animal welfare standards in zoos.

Responses on social media varied, with some users voicing concerns for both the animals and zoo visitors.

Comments criticizing the zoo's practices included calls for improved methods and expressed disappointment over the situation, with certain users specifically addressing the trend seen in Chinese zoos.

This is not an isolated case; another zoo in Taizhou, Jiangsu province, recently gained notoriety for dyeing two dogs to look like tigers.

During a live stream on Douyin, the Chinese equivalent of TikTok, the zoo claimed these were large and fearsome tigers.

It was later uncovered that the animals were actually Chow Chow dogs dyed in black and orange.

Following the viral dissemination of the video featuring the dyed dogs, the Taizhou zoo acknowledged using the stunt for publicity but insisted that the dye posed no health risks.

Both incidents highlight ongoing conversations regarding animal treatment and marketing tactics within various zoos across China.