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Business bringing new life to pet funerals
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A carved wood coffin is borne by limousine hearse to a 750-year-old temple in Pudong New Area, where Buddhist monks chant eulogies to the deceased before the body is cremated and the ashes turned into a synthetic memorial diamond.
Has someone famous died? No, the object of this funeral is a pet dog.
Shanghai households that treat pets as family members are sparing no expense when it comes to caring for their dogs, during life and after. In addition to funerals, they splash cash on pet spas and insurance.
It may all seem a bit strange to those without dogs, but the pet services industry is thriving. Just ask Zhou Jinxia, owner of the Shanghai Shiyou Pet Service Co in the Minhang District. He’s been in the business for four years.
“Customers come from other provinces seeking our services,” Zhou told Shanghai Daily.
The cost of a pet funeral can range from 500 yuan (US$78) to 9,000 yuan.
For the popular 780-yuan service, Zhou and his staff place the pet’s body on a flowerbed, where it is groomed and a few prayers said before cremation. The ashes are given to the owner. The top of the range is the hearse and monks service.
“When we started out, the going was tough,” Zhou said. “We had barely one customer a week, sometimes none. But now, thanks to online and offline promotion, and word of mouth, numbers are growing.”
Zhou’s “funeral parlor” evokes the aura of one devoted to humans. The staff wear white shirts, the color of bereavement in China. The walls contain loving photos of dogs gone, surrounded by wreathes.
The company also owns a 2,000-square-meter pet cemetery in Huinan Town in the Pudong New Area for dog lovers who don’t want their pets cremated. An online cemetery is also provided.
Zhou is frequently asked why on earth a Shanghai Jiao Tong University graduate would go into the pet funeral business.
He said it all began with his pet dog Xiao Hua, that was poisoned in 2006.
“She was adorable, a really good dog,” Zhou said. “Even now, I still remember her following me around and sitting at my feet when I watched television.
“Then, one day, I found her frothing at the mouth and took her to a pet hospital where she died. I wrapped her body in a white cloth and was going to bury her.
“At that moment, I decided to give my dog a funeral and bury her ashes where mine would be buried someday.”
Zhou said while the local government operates a center for cremating dead pets, his company was formed to go beyond that and give pet owners more remembrance.
“If you search online, you can find several companies offering similar services to ours,” he said. “But the quality varies, and some are just swindlers out to take advantage of grieving pet owners.”
Yu Yin, the owner of 3-year-old West Highland terrier named Mi Mi, told Shanghai Daily that she understands why people would want funerals for beloved pets.
“If I am able to afford it, I would be willing to pay for such services,” she said.
Gu Aiping, vice general-secretary of the Shanghai Pet Trade Association, said dog lovers should be realistic about the death of pets even though their grief at the loss may be deep.
“I still advise pet owners to have a standard pet cremation and not buy a grave,” he said.
Funerals aren’t the only burgeoning service for pet owners. Grooming is a booming industry as well and last month, qualification tests for pet groomers were held at Pet Fair Asia 2015.
Li Zhun, a manager at the Shanghai branch of Shenzhen-based Ruipeng Pet Hospital, said that new services include pet spas providing skin care, high-protein coat supplements, de-fleaing and de-worming.
Li said his 100-plus staff of certificated pet groomers also offers Japanese and South Korean “styles.”
“Our groomers’ mission is to make the pets look prettier and let everyone see them at their cutest,” he said.
“A new look also brings joy to their owners.”
“We generally receive over 700 customers at a Ruipeng outlet per month,” Li said. “One third of owners try new services.
Ruipeng Pet Hospital also provides pet insurance for accidents, death and even advertisement fees paid by owners looking for lost pets.
Keeping pampered pooches looking their best is certainly a lucrative business.
Westie owner Yu admits that she spends about 300 yuan a month on grooming for Mi Mi.
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