China’s billion-dollar pet funeral industry stays largely unregulated without public oversight
In May, at a pet funeral home in Dalian, northeastern Liaoning province, a grieving couple wept as they tenderly combed the fur of their deceased pet cat, a Silver British Shorthair, bidding farewell to their beloved “fur kid.” The feline, cherished by the couple for eight years, succumbed to heart disease. “Pidan (the cat’s nickname), you will no longer feel pain in that world. Please visit us…
The pet funeral industry in China, valued at 10 billion yuan (US$1.5 billion) in 2022, is a rapidly growing sector driven by the increasing number of pet owners seeking professional services for their beloved animals. With over 43,600 companies operating nationwide, the market has seen a fivefold increase in registered businesses since 2021.
However, this burgeoning industry lacks regulation, leaving pet owners vulnerable to potential malpractices. Despite efforts by government authorities to oversee the industry, the absence of a single supervisory body leaves many businesses operating without clear guidelines or consequences for non-compliance. This has resulted in contractual ambiguity and poor service quality, with some pet owners losing their animals in the cremation process due to miscommunication with service providers.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
