Fraudsters Are Spray-Painting Puppies With Stripes And Selling Them As 'Tiger Dogs'

They might look like tigers - but these dogs in China are just the latest target of fraudsters, who have been spray-painting puppies black and orange and selling them on as ‘tiger dogs’.

Animal experts have warned the public not to fall for the scam - whereby mongrel puppies are captured off the street, before being spray painted in order to give them a tiger-like appearance.

It’s believed that the animals were being sold in the south-western city of Chongqing for around 260 RMB (27 GBP) - and experts have warned that no such breed actually exists, perhaps unsurprisingly.

The dogs are also prone to serious sickness - as they are spray painted at a young age before the chemical substance is absorbed through their skin.

It isn’t the first time that vendors have tried to sell dogs, with similar cases previously reported across China last summer and beyond.

Many of the spray-painted pups were sent to rescue shelters - where vets washed off the colouring or cut their fur.

Reports said the dogs are also prone to sickness, as they are spray-painted at a very young age and the chemical substance is absorbed through their skin.