Shanghai Street View: Pet Passions
Three headlines involving pets in and around Shanghai are shining a spotlight on just how fast dogs and cats have multiplied on our city streets, and the many conflicts arising as a result. As someone who grew up with both dogs and cats in my home, I can certainly understand the attraction of having pets as part of a household environment with children.
But that said, some Shanghai residents seem to be taking the pet phenomenon to levels unseen in the west, putting themselves in growing conflict with people who would prefer to return to a pet-less past that was the norm in China until recently.
Topping the latest headlines was a story on the boom in pet funeral services. That was followed a couple of days later by the story of a woman who was desperately seeking new homes for dozens of stray dogs as her own Qingpu District shelter was slated for imminent demolition. While those 2 stories had a warm and fuzzy feel, the last of the trio was far more sinister and spotlighted a community in Shandong province that banned all dog ownership and threatened to kill any pets violating the rule.
This trio of stories are hardly the first on the issue of pet ownership, as such reports seem to be a constant fixture in the news these days. A senior editor in my early journalism days gave me some good advice, saying anything involving animals, children or both automatically attracts lots of readers. That advice seems especially poignant in this instance, since the recent rise in pet ownership and resulting pet stories seems directly tied to China’s plunging birth rates and aging population.
All that said, let’s look quickly at the latest trio of headlines that show just how rapidly pet ownership has grown in the last decade, and just how divisive the issue has become. The first headline centers on the booming business of pet funerals, and how people are now willing to pay up to nearly 10,000 yuan ($1,600) for animal send-offs with extras usually reserved for humans, such as ceremonies with chanting Buddhist monks.
Overly Pampered
I don’t mean to seem callous, but such displays certainly seem a bit excessive. During my childhood in the US I remember being quite sad when a pet would die, feeling a big sense of loss. But the customary practice was to take your deceased pet’s body to the office of a family vet, who would properly dispose of it and perhaps hold a small ceremony.
Next there was the story of a woman in Qingpu District who was desperately seeking people or other shelters to adopt the several dozen dogs living in her own shelter that was slated for demolition. It seems the woman spent all her time and money maintaining the shelter in a rented building, but was quickly running out of options as a deadline approached at the end of the month.
Such people also exist in the US, and we often refer to them as “dog people” or “cat people”, depending on their preference. These people usually have big hearts and are quite generous, though most of us consider them just a bit eccentric.
While those 2 stories were both mildly amusing, the third was a bit disturbing, involving the recent decision by a district in the Shandong city of Jinan banning all dog ownership. The district not only ordered that all dogs be removed from the district by September 10, but added that any found after that date would be killed on the spot if discovered by inspectors. Local authorities cited hygiene and the welfare of local residents for its decision.
Important Role
I can certainly understand both sides of this issue. Pets play an important role for a growing number of people in China these days, providing companionship for the elderly and also playing object for the parental affections of younger people who have only one child or even none.
On the other hand, it’s certainly a bit annoying when irresponsible owners don’t clean up after their pets outside, and the sounds of a barking dog when you’re trying to sleep can also be frustrating. Add to that the growing populations of stray dogs and cats both in Shanghai and elsewhere, and you can start to understand why some communities like the one in Dayang are taking their drastic actions.
This kind of issue isn’t really unique to China, and I recall similar problems in Taiwan when I lived there in the 1980s and stray animals were a major problem. At the end of the day, pet lovers and disdainers will need to find a middle road for these creatures on the streets of Shanghai, which probably needs to begin with more responsible ownership and a bit more tolerance from people like the officials in Shandong.
