China's latest craze: dyeing pets to look like other wild animals

[green papaya]

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatche...owl/china-panda-pet-culture-dog-tiger-economy

Dyeing pets has been a trend in pet pampering for quite some time. At last summer's Pets Show Taipei, there was a fierce dog-dyeing competition.

But dyeing your pets to look like other wild animals is a more recent development.

 

[Edward]

Well, if they ain't hurtin' them.... [huh]

Well seen it's only dogs in the photos, though. Good luck coaxing a cat into letting you humiliate it like that....

 

[Cicero]

I don't know what to think about it.
Although it looks great!

 

[LizzieMaine]

A cat doesn't need to be painted up to look ferocious. Every cat already IS ferocious.

 

[Stray Cat]

I already saw this, on Animal Planet.
Apparently, it doesn't hurt, it doesn't even bother them.. (maybe just the PINK POODLE was a bit bothered by it's own color)

 

[Edward]

I already saw this, on Animal Planet.
Apparently, it doesn't hurt, it doesn't even bother them.. (maybe just the PINK POODLE was a bit bothered by it's own color)

Yeah, whatever they do the dyeing with is non-toxic and the animals supposedly don't mind the process. Typically I've only seen it done on pedigree show dogs which are well used to being groomed and primped, so it probably isn't that big a deal to them. I can see how some might argue that it is "undignified" for the animal, though to be honest as lnog as it doesn't hurt or distress them, I wouldn't be so worried (if anything, what concerns me about pedigree dogs are all the health problems and artificially short lifespans that are bred into them in order to produce and maintain the breed, as well as the rejection and often euthanising of perfectl healthy animals that don't fit some artificial show-dog "beauty" standard).

 

[Benzadmiral]

Oh, the chows are cute, and the retriever-tiger impressive. But how permanent is the dye? And could it hurt the animals if they lick their fur with the dye on?

Yeah, I can just imagine trying that with my cat, who already looks much like a panda. I'd be sliced and diced like Sylvester in the old Warner Brothers cartoons.

(ETA: I saw the post above saying the dye is non-toxic. Glad to hear that.)

 

[Feraud]

Where is the informtion saying the dye they are using is non-toxic?
I've seen one too many recall of foodstuffs, children and pet toys, etc. to assume China is keeping the non-toxic dyes for their own market..

 

[green papaya]

I think a black cat would look cool with a white stripe on it's back to make it look like a "SKUNK"

 

[Mrs Chaddsley_Corbett]

I'm sure eventually with cloning you could have a tiger striped Greyhound

 

[Edward]

I think a black cat would look cool with a white stripe on it's back to make it look like a "SKUNK"

[video=youtube;ja66EOPw3-E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja66EOPw3-E&feature=related[/video]

 

[Stray Cat]

(ETA: I saw the post above saying the dye is non-toxic. Glad to hear that.)

Where is the informtion saying the dye they are using is non-toxic?

..on Animal Planet.
There was this lovely lady who does the dyeing of dog hair; and she said she'd NEVER do it if it wasn't harmless.
Majority of the animals tat undergo the dyeing are show dogs.
Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VwfaQ4mABQ&feature=related

AS for cats..
..the only kitty I saw that wore color, was the one with Pepé Le Pew..

 

[bunnyb.gal]

I'm sure eventually with cloning you could have a tiger striped Greyhound

Brindles aren't far off, are they (I'm observing one snoozing on my settee as I write this...)?

 

[Mario]

A cat doesn't need to be painted up to look ferocious. Every cat already IS ferocious.

This statement could have come straight from Hobbes...

 

[Justin B]

As a long time fishkeeper this is a huge issue that frankly I cannot stand. The dying and tattooing of animals is cruel and disgusting. That is all I will say as my normal venting on the subject is much more venomous.