The ‘2022 Pet Consumption Research Report’ produced by Mob Research Institute and KuRun Data shows that as of 2021, the number of pets (dogs and cats) in China has reached 112.35 million. The number of pet-owning families has increased dramatically. The passing of pets also requires a decent farewell, and thus the pet funeral industry emerges. According to data from Tianyancha, as of September 21, 2023, there are already 4,581 pet funeral-related enterprises across the country. In the eyes of industry insiders, for most young and middle-aged pet owners, the passing of a beloved pet is more like a ‘death education lesson’.
Privately burying pet corpses is illegal. According to publicly available data, the lifespan of domestic pet dogs and cats is about 12 to 20 years. When they and their owners reach the end of their companionship, how should the final farewell and handling of the aftermath be carried out? ‘When my dog passed away, my father thought burial was fine and there was no need for cremation. He also didn’t understand why I was so sad.
During an interview with top news reporters, Tao Bucai, the owner of a pet euthanasia shop, mentioned that her primary customer base is between the ages of 18 and 40. “People in this age group have mostly not experienced the death of a close relationship, and the loss of a pet is their first ‘education on death’.” Recalling how she learned about this industry, Tao Bucai shared that the opportunity arose after the death of her own pet dog. At that time, she was in deep grief and could not accept the reality. “I did not agree to my family’s request to bury the dog. I looked at it lying there cold, and I wondered, is this the end?” Tao Bucai tried to contact several pet euthanasia facilities to try to draw a satisfactory conclusion to the parting. However, she was not able to find a satisfactory farewell ceremony. “Those euthanasia facilities were poorly decorated, and some did not even have a well-arranged farewell room. The pet’s body was sent to the crematorium, and the last small can of ashes was handed to the owner,” Tao Bucai narrated. Afterward, she could not let go, constantly questioning whether it was because she did not take good care of her pet that it passed away. “I also do this to make up for the regret at that time, hoping that our guests can bid farewell to their pets properly and let themselves let go better.” Although pet funerals are part of the pet industry and are considered the ‘end point’ of the industry, they are also more ‘marginal. ‘ When talking about her entrepreneurial experience, Tao Bucai frankly stated that the most difficult part was site selection, which took one or two months. “After all, in the eyes of most people, matters of life and death should be treated with great respect. Even though the euthanasia hall deals with pet funerals, most people still have some taboos.” It was also after much negotiation and communication with neighbors that the shop was finally able to open. Pets have become companions in the fast-paced lives of modern people, providing emotional value to pet owners. However, as the number of pet-owning families has surged, Tao Bucai believes that pet owners should not only pay attention to the care of their pets while they are alive but also to what happens after they pass away. “Effective post-death arrangements for pets also need further promotion. ” According to official statistics, in 2022, the number of pets (dogs and cats) in China has reached 110 million, with more than 1.2 million pets in Zhengzhou alone, a market size of 5.3 billion yuan, and pet-owning families reaching 446,000 households. Additionally, the China Pet Industry White Paper shows that in 2022, the scale of China’s pet economy industry reached 493.6 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 25. 2%, and it is expected that the market size will reach 811.4 billion yuan by 2025. The Chinese pet industry is booming and in a period of rapid expansion. Compared to the ‘explosive’ development trend of the pet economy, the pet funeral industry has a slower start.
According to the statistical data of China Pet Industry White Paper in recent years, in the urban pet (dog and cat) consumption market in China, the consumption penetration rate of pet funeral is only 2%-3%. Different from Zhengzhou, the pet funeral industry in China’s first-tier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen is more abundant and mature. Some practitioners frankly said that the development of the pet funeral industry is often positively correlated with customers’ consumption concepts.
‘Pet funeral is ly a service industry. In the past, consumers focused on ‘funeral’, but in recent years, the public concept has obviously changed, and more attention is paid to the process of ‘funeral ceremony’.’ Pet farewell ceremony. Source: Wuhan Rainbow Paradise Pet Funeral. If there is no ‘funeral ceremony’ process, the prices of pet cremation and harmless treatment are more affordable. The top news reporter noticed that in Shanghai Animal Harmless Treatment Center, a professional institution for handling animals and animal products, the pricing for animal incineration is only 30 yuan. In Hangzhou, some administrative regions provide free harmless treatment for poultry and pets. At present, for many pet end-of-life service stores, most customers come from social media. Tao Bucai said that cooperation with pet hospitals is also an important source of customers. The staff of pet hospitals will ask for the owner’s opinion and arrange the aftermath after the pet passes away. Tao Bucai also said that to engage in this business, one must have certificates such as ‘pet harmless treatment certificate’ that meet the national epidemic prevention standards in order to operate normally. On the homepage of Tao Bucai’s store, the packages range from 1 yuan to nearly 3,000 yuan. There are a wide variety of items, ranging from setting up prayer plaques for pets to pet washing and bathing, farewell with flowers, customizing life crystals from pet ashes, hair memorials and exclusive farewell ceremonies. ‘Your bravery always makes me forget that you are attached to a fragile body. Now you have become an elf. Thank them for letting my baby leave decently and let me say goodbye to it without regret.’ A consumer left a message in Tao Bucai’s store. Some practitioners also believe that with the increasing number of pet owners today, the top priority is to standardize pet supporting policies and reasonably meet the pet-raising needs at different stages. Ding Ren, a pet farewell master in Zhengzhou, believes that the ‘farewell’ of pets is not only an ending, but also a cache of memories. When caring for the deceased, they hope to comfort the living more. ‘With the continuous development of society and the continuous popularization of pet-raising concepts, I believe that the pet funeral industry will be a blue ocean industry.’