China’s pet market goes full wellness

Lately, more and more pets have started living “wellness lives.” According to the 2025 China Pet Medical White Paper, more than 12,000 pet hospitals across the country have now opened Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) departments, with around 36,000 pets receiving acupuncture treatment every day. Where pets once only needed to be fed and kept healthy, many are now living more refined lives than their owners. At a time when many young people rely on “survival coffee” to get through work, they are willing to let their “fur babies” live with a level of care and comfort that surpasses their own. In the pet wellness market, service offerings fall into two broad categories: licensed veterinary clinics, where treatments such as massage and acupuncture form part of formal medical practice, and independent pet wellness studios, which focus on non-invasive, natural approaches — drawing on TCM to offer massage, moxibustion, and herbal-based care. Evy Guo, founder of SuYu, described as the first natural pet wellness center in Shenzhen, tells Jing Daily that most pet owners ultimately ask a very simple question: What does my pet actually need? Her clinic conducts diagnostic assessments through physical touch, behavioral observation, and conversations with owners, before designing care plans around diet, routine, and emotional state. Is pet wellness just a ‘silly tax’? But there is a contradiction at the heart of this trend. Many pet owners believe that services such as moxibustion and herbal care primarily provide emotional comfort rather than medically proven effects. Li Feifei, who has three cats and some knowledge of TCM, says: "Cats and dogs have limited lifespans. There is no scientific evidence that moxibustion can extend them. It’s more about emotional value — comfort for the owner.” From the perspective of practitioners, the answer is less straightforward. Jin Rishan, a TCM veterinarian in Minhang District, Shanghai, turned to pet acupuncture in 2011 after treating neurological complications following a widespread canine distemper outbreak. He specializes in using acupuncture to treat paralysis — still a rare practice in China — seeing around 20 animals a day, some of which have regained strength in previously paralyzed limbs. His work has been covered by Time, Bloomberg, and the BBC. Still, he acknowledges the field is young and many methods remain in development. The rise of pet anthropomorphism in consumption As family structures and lifestyles have evolved, pets are increasingly seen by younger generations as true family members — and spending reflects it. According to the 2025 China Pet Industry White Paper, released by PetData, China’s urban pet market for dogs and cats surpassed 300.2 billion RMB ($41.1 billion) in 2024, up 7.5% year-on-year. Post-1990s consumers are the main pet-owning group (41.2%), followed by post-1980s (26.5%) and post-2000s (25.6%). A January 2026 survey by the Shanghai Hongkou District Consumer Council shows average monthly pet spending concentrated in the 500-1,000 RMB ($70–$140) range, with around 10% allocated to services. This shift is visible on the street. Shanghai launched its first dedicated “pet-friendly transport line” in May 2025, while a “dog kindergarten” boarding model — where dogs attend structured daytime sessions while owners are at work, with some facilities grouping dogs by personality — has gained widespread popularity. Yet alongside this wave of anthropomorphism, there are voices pushing back. Guo tells Jing Daily that many behavioral issues in pets stem not from the animals themselves, but from misreadings of their needs. “Many people are unable to truly see dogs as dogs,” she says. Some owners, driven by their own anxiety, send pets to daycare or social spaces — but not all animals suit high levels of social interaction. Quiet or sensitive dogs may experience greater stress as a result. “Often, it is the owner’s emotional needs replacing what the pet actually needs,” she says. Similar dynamics appear in grooming routines. Pets have more alkaline skin, and over-bathing can damage their natural oil barrier, causing dryness and skin conditions. More subtle still is the neglect of pets’ emotional states: sudden behavioral changes — inappropriate urination, hiding, separation anxiety — often reflect household tensions that have gone unnoticed by owners. Human-pet coexistence: The next stage of the pet economy This reconfiguration of relationships is reshaping how brands design products and consumption scenarios. Some automakers have already acted: Zeekr’s Zeekr X offers a pet mode where folded rear seats create a flat, 1.1m-high continuous cabin space, while Nio’s sub-brand Firefly automatically adjusts cabin temperature and locks doors and windows for pets waiting inside. The logic extends well beyond cars — from shared spaces to joint travel to integrated health care, every human consumption scenario can now be rethought through the lens of coexistence. Ultimately, the winners will be brands that understand both the physiological needs of pets and the emotional anxieties of their owners — spanning home, mobility, food, technology, and healthcare. And the endpoint of this shift may not be a company with a billion-dollar valuation, but a shared social consensus: pets are never just pets — they are family, mirrors, and bridges to our own inner lives.

China’s pet market goes full wellness

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China’s pet market goes full wellness

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