These Chinese “tiger dogs” are a little too cute for their own good.
Scheming puppy peddlers from the Yongchuan district of Chongqing have been snatching up stranded pups from the streets and spraying them with harmful orange and black paint — in order to sell them off as tiger dogs, according to Central European News.
However, reports indicate that since the baby canines are still so young when the spray paint is applied, the chemical substance is absorbed through their skin and causes the teeny “tigers” to get sick.
Though actual tiger dogs do not exist, the scammers were spotted by locals in a park selling the coveted creatures for 260 RMB, or nearly $41 per dog.
Animal experts are urging citizens to steer clear of the dangerous scam in order to wipe out demand for the unique “hybrid.”
Many of the infected pups were brought to rescue shelters where the paint was washed off or their hair was shaved.
It is not the first time vendors have attempted to sell tiger dogs, as similar cases have sprung up in China in years past.