BEIJING (Reuters) – A zoo in central China has been closed after visitors were outraged to discover its lion was really a bushy and barking Tibetan mastiff. The dog was not the only fake at People’s Park Zoo in the city of Luohe, which tried to pass off a fox as a leopard and and rodents [...]

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Lying about its lion: Chinese zoo closed for going to the dogs

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BEIJING (Reuters) – A zoo in central China has been closed after visitors were outraged to discover its lion was really a bushy and barking Tibetan mastiff. The dog was not the only fake at People’s Park Zoo in the city of Luohe, which tried to pass off a fox as a leopard and and rodents as snakes, Chinese media reported.

china-zoo

A Tibetan mastiff dog is displayed for sale at a mastiff show in Baoding, south of Beijing (AFP)

The ‘lion’ is kept in a dingy enclosure with a grimy sign on the cage that reads “African Lion” in Chinese characters. The zoo apologised for the exhibits and was closed down for “rectification”, the Beijing News said, citing local officials. Animal rights activists have criticised Chinese zoos for their record of poor conditions and other abuses.

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