In recent years, with the rapid expansion of the population of pets and an increased awareness of the concept of “welcoming society for animals”, China is gradually evolving towards a company more open to pets, with more ‘Public spaces accessible to these.
During the Chinese New Year holidays this year, the airline China Southern Airlines introduced a service allowing pets to travel in the cabin, a very popular initiative of many owners.
Mr. Liu managed to take his dog from Guangzhou to Shanghai by reserving an exclusive seat for his animal on a two -hour and a half flight.
“It costs 1,000 yuan (around 139.48 dollars) more, almost the price of a children’s ticket, but having my dog with me made the return trip for the much more pleasant spring festival”, he said.
This service from China Southern Airlines is only an example of the air sector efforts to accommodate pets.
In May 2024, Bao’an international airport in Shenzhen inaugurated the first pet fair in China, offering an integrated travel service for animals.
“I had to go abroad, and I decided to bring Qiqi back to my hometown of Hebei. During the day when Qiqi was in the airport boarding room in Shenzhen, the staff gave him food And to drink, walked it, and even organized a video interaction between Qiqi and me.
“In air transport, pets were often treated as living freight, but these ‘fur children’ are now an integral part of many families and require more attention and personalized services,” explains a manager of the ‘ airport.
Like Shenzhen, other major Chinese cities like Shanghai and Hangzhou are at the forefront of building a welcoming society for animals. Cats are welcome in the exhibitions of the Shanghai Museum, pets are allowed to enter certain supermarkets with their owners, and more and more cafes accept animals, some Starbucks even offering a “Puppuccino”.
However, the joy of having a pet is not always shared by all, and certain irresponsible behaviors of the owners can cause exasperation. The way to further supervise pet activities in order to achieve harmonious coexistence between humans and animals is increasingly arouses discussions.
During the “two sessions” of Shanghai this year, Lu Huiwen, a political adviser of the municipality, again paid her attention to the field of pets by subjecting a proposal to supervise the movements with animals by laws. She suggested that detailed regulations and conduct codes be established for public spaces welcoming animals, clarifying the responsibilities of the owners and imposing sanctions for offenses.
In addition to promoting social tolerance, market dynamics is also an important factor for Chinese society to become more welcoming towards pets.
According to a white paper in the sector, the value of the urban pet sector (dogs and cats) in China reached 300.2 billion yuan in 2024, an increase of 7.5% in annual shift, with a national population pets of more than 120 million individuals.
In addition to the global market expansion, the owners are more generous towards their animals. In 2024, average annual expenses per dog were 2,961 yuan, up 3.0%, while those for a cat were 2,020 yuan, up 4.9%.
According to Xu Weirong, sector analyst, raising a pet is important for the emotional regulation of many people. More and more businesses, tourist sites and shopping centers consider the reception of animals as a means of improving their image, attracting customers and stimulating consumption.
