Stepping out

Beyond high-end experiences, pets worldwide have been granted more accessibility and are being welcomed in public spaces that were previously off-limits. Many cities have made concerted efforts to upgrade parks, plazas, and other public places to be pet-friendly with amenities such as drinking fountains, dedicated pet zones, and waste disposal stations.

Shops have also followed suit by designating pet-friendly outdoor seating areas and offering specialized menus or treats for canine and feline patrons.

Starbucks is one of the pioneers in this area, introducing Puppuccinos — whipped cream in an espresso cup — for dogs at their pet-friendly spaces. The coffee giant has also collaborated with pet lifestyle brands on accessories like the popular cat paw-shaped tumblers. Manner Coffee, HeyTea, KFC, and Shake Shack have also launched stores that welcome pets with tailored products and pet toy promotions.

Pets' access to public spaces, legal protection of their rights and welfare, and education and raised awareness of people's responsibilities toward them are core elements and indicators of a pet-friendly society, said Zhou Chunhua, secretary-general of the China Pet Industry Association.

The number of pet dogs and cats in China is estimated to grow from 190 million last year to 210 million in five years, according to the APA Institute's China Pet Industry Annual Report 2023.

The increasing pet population and diverse demands for services are driving the expansion of the pet market.

In 2023, the scale of China's pet market increased to nearly 250 billion yuan with a compound growth rate of 13.1 percent in the past five years, the report said. Food supplies accounted for more than half of the pet market, medical care nearly 30 percent, while services such as grooming and training accounted for 16 percent.