China’s billion-dollar pet funeral industry stays largely unregulated without public oversight

In May, at a pet funeral home in Dalian, northeastern Liaoning province, a grieving couple wept as they tenderly combed the fur of their deceased pet cat, a Silver British Shorthair, bidding farewell to their beloved “fur kid.”The feline, cherished by the couple for eight years, succumbed to heart disease.“Pidan (the cat’s nickname), you will no longer feel pain in that world. Please visit us in our dreams to share your news. I hope we will be a family again in the next life,” said the wife.“Pidan, don’t forget Mum and Dad. Remember to stand your ground when bullied in that world,” the husband implored his cat.After about 10 minutes, the husband gently carried the cat’s body to a van awaiting its transport for cremation.Such sorrowful scenes are a daily occurrence in the pet funeral service industry. The sector has experienced remarkable growth over the past decade, spurred by pet owners’ desires to engage professionals for posthumous arrangements for their pets.According to a national enterprises database, Tian Yan Cha, there are 43,600 pet funeral-related companies across China. In 2022 alone, 27,100 new companies were registered, marking a fivefold increase from the previous year.The market value of this industry reached 10 billion yuan (US$1.5 billion) in 2022, according to a report by consulting firm iiMedia Research.Pet funeral prices vary widely based on the services chosen, ranging from simple, emotionally focused packages to lavish ceremonies. Photo: BaiduThis boom is driven by the rapidly growing pet population in the country. Last year, urban authorities across China recorded around 53 million pet dogs and 73 million pet cats.Pet funeral homes offer comprehensive services, including euthanasia, body preparation, memorial ceremonies, cremation, bone ashes retention, tomb burial, and souvenir creation.Prices vary widely, ranging from 1,000 yuan (US$150) to tens of thousands of yuan (thousands of US dollars), as reported by state broadcaster CCTV.A “high-end tailor-made” funeral service, featuring four staff members in uniform carrying the pet’s coffin and using a limousine for transport, costs 9,880 yuan.Some funeral homes also offer religious ceremonies for pets, charging 1,800 yuan.Further ReadingAmong the most expensive funeral options is pressing bone ashes into a “life crystal,” which costs 18,000 yuan (US$2,700).“Holding a memorial ritual may seem straightforward, but it fulfils pet owners’ emotional needs. This formal goodbye allows grieving owners to bid farewell to their pets. People are willing to pay for this emotional value,” explained a pet funeral homeowner in Shenyang, also in Liaoning.A ceremony typically includes floral displays, farewell blankets, memorial walls, paw-print keepsake boxes, and bottles containing a tuft of the pet’s hair.Pet funerals include custom memorials, keepsakes, and farewell rituals, often ending at a pet cemetery. Photo: BaiduPet owners often read farewell letters, or sometimes funeral organisers read the letters on behalf of the owners.Zhang Yingjun, a 30-year-old woman who opened a pet funeral store in Dalian in 2022, shared her experience of witnessing many heartbreaking farewells: she did not become numb; rather, she felt deep empathy for her clients.“At first, I cried with them. Then I realised that the more important task was to manage the funeral arrangements effectively and provide a high-quality service for them,” Zhang told CCTV.Despite this rapid growth, the industry remains unregulated, with a significant issue being the absence of a principal supervisory authority.Fu Jian, a lawyer from Henan Zejin Law Firm, stated that pet funeral businesses must first obtain permission from both the livestock administration authority and the environmental protection authority before opening.However, no specific government department is designated to oversee the entire industry’s development, Fu noted.“The civil affairs authority is responsible for human funerals, the agricultural and livestock authority focuses on the harmless disposal of animals, and the environmental protection authority only monitors gas emissions. Due to this fragmented oversight, many pet funeral homes can operate with malpractice or violations without facing investigation or consequences,” Fu explained.At the heart of China’s soaring pet industry is a massive cultural evolution; pets are no longer just working animals or casual companions — they are full-fledged family members. Photo: ShutterstockHe added that many clauses in pet funeral contracts lack specific details regarding service content or quality due to the absence of industry standards.“When stores fail to honour their agreements or provide subpar services, customers often find it difficult to assert their rights,” the lawyer stated.In 2024, an internet user in Shenzhen expressed his frustration on social media after paying 700 yuan (US$100) for a pet store to cremate his cat separately.However, after reviewing a video the store provided of the bathing process, he discovered it was not his cat.Following multiple discussions, the store eventually admitted to having cremated his cat alongside other pets.“I paid for the service, but now I don’t know what happened to my cat,” the man lamented, adding he received no compensation from the store.