China has embraced pets, but animal welfare is still a problem
Why is the public largely indifferent to cruelty on farms?
Mao Zedong may have regarded them as a bourgeois luxury, but pets are on the rise in China. Around 116m cats and dogs share a home with humans in Chinese cities. It is not always clear who is holding the leash. At a recent pet fair in Shanghai items for sale included a spa machine for cats and ball gowns for dogs. Analysts say young people are increasingly choosing “fur babies” over children. China’s pet industry grew by 25% last year.
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “No love for livestock ”
China September 2nd 2023
From the September 2nd 2023 edition
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