Every weekend, it is common to see many people bringing their furry friends to enjoy leisure time in a pet-friendly shopping center in Shanghai.

Some restaurants in this area have also rolled out the red carpet for pets in order to attract more diners, as it's always pleasant for owners to discover a new place with their fluffy pals.

"There aren't many dog-friendly shopping malls in Shanghai, that I'm aware of." "She usually plays in our neighborhood, but I want to take her out to see the bigger world," said He Jing, a local who took her dog Lucy to a mall for the first time.

The majority of the mall's dozens of pet-friendly businesses allow animals in their outdoor spaces, but three eateries also welcome them inside.

"Pet owners typically bring their animals on weekends and in the evenings. Once they found out we allow pets, they came to our restaurant frequently because they adore their fluffy kids. We give the dogs water and snacks," said Yuan Zi, the proprietor of the business.

The city's expanding pet-friendly businesses are a result of China's growing pet ownership population.

Data from "The Chinese Pet Industry White Paper" showed that over 70 million people in the country owned pets as of the end of 2022, a rise of 3 percent from 2021.

Shi Junyan, general manager of a shopping mall said, "We provide special lifts, water fountains, and a variety of social activities for pets as they are expected to give more reasons for consumers to come to our shopping mall."

There is presently no information available on the number of Shanghai businesses that welcome animals inside. But it's obvious that more new malls and shops are claiming to be pet-friendly in an effort to get more owners to visit.

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