Volunteers often feed homeless cats in the streets, parks, and residential areas across the country, and most agree that a sterilization drive is the best solution to curtail the homeless numbers. However, most of the volunteers have humble incomes, and lack the economic power to pay for the expensive operation needed for so many animals.

Along with the pricey sterilization operations, many pet-lovers are bothered by those who misconstrue that sterilization is inhumane. Mr. Chang, who lives in suburban Beijing, reveals why just the opposite is true. Two years ago, he rescued a wounded dog on the highway and took it home. A year later, the dog gave birth to a dozen puppies that all needed a home and care. Surprised by the dog’s fertility, he immediately decided to sterilize all of his dogs.

Although it is a traditional custom in some areas of China to eat dog meat, more and more people voluntarily abstain from it. The manager of a dog club, Wei Shouping, frequents a Hunanese restaurant near his home. One day, the restaurant manager notified him of a plan to begin serving several dishes featuring dog meat. The plan evoked fierce opposition from Wei, who then warned that he would spread the word to boycott the restaurant if it did so. Wei’s threat was effective, and the restaurant abolished the plan.

“As more and more people raise dogs as pets, the numbers who oppose eating dog are also increasing,” claims Wei.

Statistics show that those born in the 1980s and 1990s are more likely to love animals. However, pets are often celebrated for their ability to improve the health of the elderly who live alone, and to offer companionship for so many of the “only” children in China. Modern city dwellers, even when they live in the same community, often lack mutual communication. “Pets help people build social relationships,” comments Cheng Xiao. “This is an important reason why pets are needed even more in the information age.”

Pet ownership not only offers a different lifestyle and an acute awareness of all of our non-human neighbors, but fuels an emerging industry.

The pet industry includes the production and consumption of food supplies, medical care, hairdressing, photography, periodicals, and the list goes on. In 2008, China’s pet industry realized an annual output of 20 billion yuan, a figure which is likely to double in 2010, evidencing how incredibly fast the industry has grown.

However, the increasing numbers of pets in China have already caused some social problems, such as injuries from dog bites and disturbances from barking. It is commonly recognized that owners, rather than the pets themselves, are responsible for these problems. Therefore, education of pet owners is another facet of the pet industry that needs to develop along with the rest.