A cat plays at a facility where animals are housed while their owners are away. CHEN JIMIN/CHINA NEWS SERVICE
"My monthly expenses on my cats are around 1,000 yuan (about 155.88 U.S. dollars), which covers their food, treats and litter," she said, adding that she expects the nekonomics to have a greater effect in China.
She said: "I am happy to see that Chinese society is becoming more aware of the feline charisma."
"In China, the level of society increases alongside people's growing demand for consumption quality, pets have been consolidating their position as family members," said Wu Tong, founder of Q Planet, a company that provides funeral services for pets.
In some cases, such as empty-nest elderly or urban bachelors, pets are often the only family they have, she added.
Wu started the company in 2014. "As my dog grew older, I was living in anguish, worrying that she might leave me one day, and I would think about what I should do when it happens," she said.
Q Planet creates personalized memorials to help people cope with their bereavement and grief, as Wu learns to deal with her fear of loss.
There are more than 80 pet funeral homes in China, mainly in big cities.
"Pet cremation is a necessity in our society. More people will choose to send off their pets in a way that is more responsible for the environment and for the departed," she said.
REGULATIONS NEEDED
In the same year as Adoption Day was founded in Beijing, Chris Lau, an upscale jewellery designer and brand manager, founded "TA Shanghai" in the eastern metropolis, encouraging people to help animals in distress and to give them a safe and loving home.
"The origin of stray animals is abandonment, because these domestic animals don't come out of nowhere," he said, adding that some of the city's lawmakers have suggested legislation against cruelty to animals including irresponsible ownership.
While there is no law to prevent or forbid commercial activities that may be harmful to the well-being of animals, Wang urges pet owners to learn about their animal companions' biological and psychological needs and to place animal welfare above selfish entertainment.
Another major issue is the pet breeding frenzy, which has gotten out of hand and become a main reason for the sharp increase in stray animals, said Qin Xiaona with the CAWA.
"Irresponsible breeders create lives and sell them for profit as goods, despite the fact that so-called 'purebreds' often bear genetic defects and health risks due to inbreeding and horrible sanitary conditions. It's unethical," she said.
The breeding of purebred animals imposes similar genetic restrictions to those that occur in wild species that have been reduced to tiny breeding numbers after natural and man-made disasters, according to Nick Jeffery, professor of Veterinary Clinical Studies at University of Cambridge.
He quoted studies that evidenced the risks of selective breeding in the foreword to "Breed Predispositions to Disease in Dogs and Cats" by Alex Gough and Alison Thomas, a book that lists known breed-related health risks.
"Based on 20 years of practice as a veterinarian, I find native or mix-breed cats in general healthier, stronger, and more sociable," said Wang Hui, director and chief veterinarian of Naja Veterinary Clinics, a nationwide franchise of upscale pet hospitals.
"To my knowledge there are no regulations in the breeding sector so far and health risks are almost inevitable in pedigree pets," he said.
A legal framework is needed urgently to regulate the industries and guide the social conduct towards animal care and ending cruelty towards animals, said He from the CASS.
