In a recent phenomenon, several domestic pets in China are being forced to “work” in pet cafes by their owners, CNN reported on Monday.
A pet cafe is a space where you can order food and drinks while interacting with pets such as dogs and cats. Many cafes aim to promote pet adoption, allowing visitors to meet and adopt cats, dogs, and other animals. They are becoming increasingly common in cities around the world.
These cafes are a notable business in China, with owners charging more for these experiences and visitors being able to interact and play with the animals around the cafe.
Customers at pet cafes in China pay an admission fee of 30 to 60 yuan ($4 to $8.5) or buy drinks and other items at the coffee shop, CNN reported.
A doctoral student named Jane Xue told CNN that she left her Samoyed dog, named “OK,” at a dog cafe in Fuzhou, southeast China, but that the dog’s experience turned into a 9-to-5 job. He said they were similar. A man plays with a cat in Erbil, Iraq, on February 26, 2024, at a special cafe where customers can play with cats and where they can be raised without harming them. This is the first cafe of its kind in Erbil city. (Credit: Khalid Al-Mousily/Reuters)
Xue told CNN there were several reasons why he wanted to leave OK at the pet cafe. First, she wanted her dogs to experience the variety of everyday life, just as humans go out on weekends and experience new places.
He also said that he hopes that having a pet cafe will help pets feel less lonely as they can play with other dogs and people visiting the cafe.
Pet cafes could save owners money
Another notable reason is that OK’s “work” saves Xue and her partner money. If OK were to stay home, he would have to keep the air conditioner on all day, which could be expensive.
According to CNN, this has become a trend in China called “zhengmao qian,” or “earning money for snacks.” According to CNN, the concept reflects the idea that pets work in these cafes, much like humans go to work, and then return to their families at night.
According to CNN, this trend reflects China’s changing demographics, with Goldman Sachs noting that China is expected to have more pets than young children by the end of 2024. There is.
We bring you the latest news!
Subscribe to Jerusalem Post Newsletter
Cafes and pet owners are posting ads and resumes on Chinese social media looking for “employees”, with users joking about salaries and taxes on canned cat food.
CNN reports that before a job is officially awarded, pet cafes go through a “screening process” that monitors whether people’s pets are friendly and interact well with customers and other pets.
