China’s growing pet economy is creating new jobs and business opportunities, from pet sitting and grooming to specialised food and customised services.
“Orders have doubled during the National Day holiday. We’re fully booked.”
On Oct. 3rd, Wang Zhiwei, a young pet sitter in Zhengzhou, central China’s Henan Province, was busy grooming cats, feeding them and making sure they had enough water.
Wang entered the pet-care business about six months ago. He sees the growing demand for pet services as a new opportunity for young entrepreneurs.
The 2026 China Pet Industry White Paper shows that China’s urban dog and cat consumer market reached 312.6 billion yuan (£34.4 billion) in 2025. The growing market has created new jobs and expanded the range of consumer services.
“Demand for pet care tends to rise during holidays,” Wang told CNS.
In March, Wang and his business partners launched a mini programme offering home-based pet care. They set service standards that include wearing gloves and shoe covers when entering customers’ homes, recording videos during visits and providing timely updates on pets’ conditions.
Pet sitters, pet nutritionists and pet groomers are among the new jobs emerging as China’s pet market expands.
Businesses are also exploring more specialised products and services.
In 2025, Xu Xiaoyu and her husband closed two physical pet shops and shifted their business online.
“We put the money saved on operating costs into developing pet food and focused on specialised products,” Xu said.
She said pet owners are paying more attention to professional care. Products for older pets and those with chronic conditions have seen growing demand, while customised fresh food and functional pet treats have become new areas of business.
The couple have also expanded into customised pet clothing, designing fabrics and styles according to individual pets’ body shapes.
Pet food companies are also targeting more specialised markets.
An Zhongping, chairman of Zhongyu Pet Food (Luohe) Group Co., Ltd., said the company has developed products including prescription and functional pet food, as well as seasonal items such as pet zongzi and pet mooncakes.
The company’s products are exported to more than 40 countries and regions, with overseas sales accounting for about 40 per cent of its total revenue.
Industry observers said the expanding pet market is creating opportunities in areas such as standardised services, traceable pet food, functional products, customised services and long-term pet care.
An analyst said the sector is becoming more diverse as pet owners seek a wider range of products and services. He said clearer industry rules and unified standards for services and products would be important for its continued development.
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