Goldman Sachs said that if things change suddenly in the coming years, its forecasts foresee a scenario in China where the country will have nearly twice as many city pets as young children by 2030. Birth rates are also increasing as they continue to “adopt” dogs and cats, which in some cases replace children. The situation is such that life with pets is becoming less and less different from that of couples with children. In fact, in a dystopia that no one predicted would come, reconciliation problems are solved in the same way.

News. In most couples with children, there is a problem of work-life balance as well as adult leisure, which is conspicuous by its absence when their children are young. Children spend most of the day and the situation does not change on weekends, quite the opposite. That’s why there are nurseries, play centres, camps and even cafes where adults can leave the little ones for a few hours.

This situation occurs in China, but it also occurs in cats and dogs living in homes. For this reason, a whole “entertainment” market for pets is developing. Nurseries and cafes where everyone will leave their earned animals.

Inside the story. We said it a few months ago. In 2017, there were approximately 90 million children under the age of four in China, while the population of pets (dogs and cats) in the city was around 40 million. This year the number of both will approach 58 million, and by the end of the same decade, in 2030, China will host fewer than 40 million children under the age of four, compared to more than 70 million pets in urban areas.

The situation is similar in Japan, where there is also a serious birth crisis and the pet population is four times larger than that of young children. In the United States, the world’s largest pet market, government and Veterinary Association data show there were 84 to 89 million dogs and 60-62 million cats in 2020, compared to 73 million children. age.

There is work here. Of course, this is a business for the industry dedicated to animal nutrition and care. As the population of pet dogs and cats grows and even exceeds that of newborns, the market focusing on their nutrition also increases until it has become a growing business worth $12 billion, according to Goldman Sachs, which is according to the American analyst. the end of the same decade.

What no one warned was that the market would expand “too much” in China.

Brown children’s room. This week CNN told the story of Jane Xue as an example of what’s going on. The young woman and her partner sent their 2-year-old Samoyed dog named OK to the first day of “camp” in mid-September. Their destination: One of many dog-friendly cafes that have popped up in recent years in Fuzhou, southeast China. “I feel like this is like parents sending their kids to school,” she told the outlet as she left OK for her new part-time “job.”

Like thousands of people in China, Xue was looking for a way to entertain her pet and spend some free time, and she explained to the outlet that this trend, known as “Zhengmaotiaoqian” in Chinese, is a way for pets to experience something new. The owners, on the other hand, make plans and spend their “free” time. “Sending OK to the cafe is a win-win situation. He can play with other dogs and not feel so lonely.”

Local people and cafes for pets. More and more pet owners in China are sending their animals to these special areas for cats and dogs. Areas that allow visitors to interact with animals while enjoying drinks have become the country’s most profitable business model.

How do they work? In addition to taking care of them, customers are also allowed in, paying a fee or dining on site, to enjoy the companionship of the cats and dogs around them. Prices range from 30 to 60 yuan ($4-8), causing businesses to expand rapidly. There may also be economic advantages for homeowners in sending their dogs away, Xue said, because it eliminates costs such as keeping the home’s air conditioning on all day.

An expanding market. The first cat and dog cafe in China opened in Guangzhou in 2011. Since then, the industry has grown exponentially. According to data from CBNData, the number of organizations increased by 200% year over year, and by 2023, there were more than 4,000 companies dedicated solely to pet care.

Bulletin board. The demand for this market is so high that in China they advertise just like we did among people until recently. Pet owners and owners of these nurseries post ads and bios for their animals on Xiaohongshu, a social network similar to China’s Instagram.

Effects. Background: This rapid growth reflects not only the love for pets, but also the trend of people in China finding new ways of social and commercial integration of animals into their daily lives. Of course, this is a symptom of the country’s serious birth crisis, as it shows the extent to which animals are taking the place previously occupied by a child.

Pets are no longer just pets, and their place in the Chinese family is becoming increasingly important to the social and economic dynamics of the country.

Image | Reba Spike, CoffeeAm

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