More Chinese jump through hoops, crawl under nets to foster ties with pets

Nearly 80% of Chinese pet owners maintained or increased spending on pets after the COVID-19 pandemic, a report finds

A woman waves while having her race bib attached, for a dog trail race where owners and their dogs navigate obstacles, in Shanghai, China Apr 27, 2024. REUTERS

Dog trail races that allow people and their dogs to navigate off-road obstacle courses in tandem are growing popular in China, as the pace of pet ownership and active lifestyle pursuits picks up.

"Originally, I would only go to the gym and run to lose weight," said Hong Feiwen, one of many participants who see the races not just as a recreational activity, but a way to strengthen bonds with their four-legged friends.

"But after having a dog, my dog and exercise have become parts of my life that can’t be ignored," Hong added, after he and his border collie Yaoyao jumped through tyres and crawled under a net at an event last month on the outskirts of Shanghai.

Official estimates expect China’s outdoor sports market to reach a value of 241 billion yuan ($33 billion) by 2025, while the pet consumption market grew an annual 3.2% in 2023 to 279.3 billion yuan, state media say.

With consumer spending tepid amid broad macroeconomic uncertainty and a lengthy downturn in the property sector, both the pet and sports markets have emerged as "bright spots", said Yaling Jiang of strategy consultancy ApertureChina.

"Chinese pet owners are definitely looking for opportunities to keep spending on their pets, because many of them don’t have babies, so they think of their 'fur babies' as their own children," Jiang said.

Nearly 80% of Chinese pet owners maintained or increased spending on pets after the COVID-19 pandemic, a report from UBS Evidence Lab found last year.

Chen Yi is the founder of LetsDog, which hosts monthly dog races that draw more than 100 participants.

Their increasing popularity has prompted LetsDog to organise even more niche races for popular dog breeds, such as samoyeds and corgis, she said.

"Originally we had experience organising this type of human sports event," Chen said.

"But we think that right now, from a commercial perspective, the pet market is a better, new consumption track ... it's currently booming."