Social creatures

Many dog owners in their 20s and 30s advocate "scientific" dog raising, focusing on both the physical and mental health of their dogs. They treat their animals like children, taking care of their diet and sleep and also their social needs.

"We hope our dogs make friends they like and have fun playing with them. As a dog owner, the first thing on my mind every day is where to take my pet for a walk and which new pet-friendly facility I can take her to over the weekend to socialize," said Shao, 32.

Pet owners take their dogs out to meet their social needs, providing them with a rich environment and interactions to develop a stable and affectionate personality. They also try to spend weekends with their dogs as they are left home alone for long hours on workdays.

In 2024, when Shao started raising her poodle, some ride-hailing platforms introduced pet-friendly vehicles. That was a period when pet-friendliness was booming. Shao said she experienced various new activities that allowed pet participation, and felt that there was enough space for humans and pets to coexist in the city.

However, as she gained more experience in dog-raising, she noticed that the pet-friendly approach lacked any legal basis and could easily lead to businesses tightening or changing their policies due to complaints.

For a mall or public space to be truly pet-friendly, it must clearly state that it welcomes pets and have a clear and consistent attitude to the concept, according to Shao.

"It can't just be a vague and low-key welcome. Otherwise, once someone complains about my dog, the mall won't support me and will stand against me instead," she said.

The second step for a genuinely pet-friendly mall is to have clear rules and response measures in place, showing that it is prepared for any eventuality involving a pet, she added.

"This includes having cleaning staff who can quickly mop up dog urine or pick up waste if an irresponsible pet owner leaves it behind," said Shao. "Of course, a better approach is for the owner to clean up immediately if the dog urinates in the mall or to have the dog wear a diaper."

Some pet owners said although certain venues label themselves pet-friendly, staff have a poor attitude, making the experience of taking their dog there unpleasant.

Cui Ming, who has raised a Labrador retriever for six years, said some so-called pet-friendly Shanghai venues are not friendly enough. As her dog exceeds most malls' shoulder height limit of 35 centimeters, she cannot take her pet into any mall.

"I'm not necessarily trying to take my pet to a restaurant because many don't have suitable food for pets, but I have the need to eat. Sometimes, I just want to go to the mall to buy a bottle of water or use the restroom, but I fail to get in," said Cui, 38.

Despite the new restrictions, the pet economy is showing no signs of slowing down. According to the industry platform Petdata, the urban cat and dog consumption market in China exceeded 312 billion yuan ($45.8 billion) last year, and is expected to reach 405 billion yuan by 2028.

Many consumer spaces are eagerly embracing the pet economy. Figures released by the Shanghai Commercial Association and others in September showed that Shanghai had over 4,000 pet-related stores, while pet-friendly malls and parks once numbered 40.