Ms. Shen held a farewell ceremony for Jing Xiangxiang, her cat, after the body was cremated. “Thank you for being my family and teaching me about love and loss,” she said. “I bring the ashes home. Sometimes I touch the lid of the urn, as if she is still here. I hope that one day I can be reunited with it.”
At Live (Li Wu), a pet end-of-life service shop in Guangzhou, soft music plays in the room. A Samoyed lies quietly on a ceremony table under a white cloth while staff gently groom the body, prepare a burial blanket, and leave favorite snacks and toys on the altar. Afterward, the owner is left alone for one final goodbye.
Scale of the pet economy
More pets, more spending, deeper attachment
Planned visualization source block: 2025 China Pet Industry White Paper, iiMedia Research, Goldman Sachs.
Changing meanings of pets
From animals to emotional companions and family members
In many households, pets are no longer seen only as animals. As social consumption shifts away from basic survival needs and toward quality of life, pets increasingly take on emotional roles. Younger owners and more accepting attitudes have also expanded the market for pet funeral and memorial services.
On Dianping, end-of-life services in cities such as Shenzhen and Guangzhou usually range from 300 yuan to 1,600 yuan, often including cremation and a farewell ceremony. More elaborate memorial items, including paw-print clay pieces, ornaments, and preserved keepsakes, add another layer of emotional and commercial value.
“As social consumption structure has shifted from meeting basic living needs to seeking a better quality of life, the role of pet dogs has evolved from serving human needs to ornamentation and entertainment, and now to emotional companions and family members.”
— Zhao Xingbo, China Agricultural UniversityIndustry growth
A fast-expanding but uneven market
The pet funeral industry reached about 1.311 billion yuan in the first half of 2024, while the number of shops grew from 998 in 2019 to about 5,135 in the first half of 2024. Providers differ widely in ritual design, technical practice, and pricing transparency.
Memorial items have become one of the most personal ways for owners to hold onto grief. Some turn fur or ashes into necklaces, while others preserve paw prints in clay and place them in carefully arranged boxes. These objects sit between mourning and material memory.
“Compared with simply cremating the body, these memorial services emphasize emotional meaning.” — Ami
Mouse interaction 01
Ash-made crystal necklaces
Planned interaction: when the cursor hovers over a crystal, the corresponding chemical element appears, explaining why different necklaces take on different colors.
Copper
Can contribute blue-green tones in the crystalized memorial piece.
Iron
Often associated with muted amber, rust, or smoky tonal shifts.
Calcium
Linked to paler, milkier, or softly luminous textures.
Grief, ritual and service
Why farewell ceremonies matter
As pets become emotionally central to family life, the death of a pet is no longer treated only as a practical matter. It marks the end of an intimate relationship. In this context, farewell ceremonies become an emotional climax, helping owners relive memories, release restrained grief and gradually accept loss.
Yiyu, the “father” of a cat named Li Dudu, said the cremation furnace was lit just as heavy rain began. “The grief I had been holding back all day finally broke through at that instant. It felt as if even the god was mourning with me.”
Lynn, who arranged a cremation and farewell ceremony at Shanghai Rainbow Pawprints, said the care shown by staff created room for her to cry. Other emotional rituals around pets also reflect the same deepening relationship: some owners even hold weddings for their dogs, complete with outfits, desserts, paw-print certificates and ring exchange ceremonies.
Providers are also offering new forms of care, such as aquamation, which is especially suitable for small or fragile animals whose bones may not survive flame cremation.
What comes next
Commercial growth without clear standards
As the industry grows, more providers are entering the field, but service standards remain inconsistent. Some providers focus on ritual and emotional care, while others mainly offer basic cremation services. Without unified regulations, owners often rely on online reviews or recommendations from friends.
Ami said some customers struggle to understand high prices and worry about overcharging. Marketing is also difficult because the topic of death is often suppressed on social platforms. Still, new technologies, demand for preserved remains, and more personalized emotional service are pushing the industry toward further specialization.
“The key challenge for this developing industry lies in striking a balance among commercial growth, service standards, and governance.” — Yixia Cao, Fudan University
13*. 肉祭品