Providing a dignified send-off for pets

According to qcc.com, a comprehensive platform for enterprise credit information and business data service in China, the country has 5,946 pet funeral homes as of March, among which nearly 90 percent were established within the past five years.

With perception change, pet morticians now provide a variety of options to accommodate the different preferences and beliefs of different pet families.

"We serve only one pet family at a time to offer them exclusive service and memory," said a woman in her late 30s surnamed Li, who set up her pet funeral home in Beijing in late October.

Li said some families are too sad to take part in any funeral procedures, while some express a desire to watch the cremation. Additionally, she encountered a Buddhist family who requested a three-day period of repose for the carcass and another family that custom-made a down jacket for their scraggy dog.

"We believe that the special bonds between pets and owners are unique and can't be institutionalized, and that's why we've named our store 'Theta Land' to mean unconditional love," she said.

As an avid animal lover, Li has adopted eight cats and one dog in her home. After considering their posthumous arrangements and exploring various options in the market, she found none of them met her expectations.

"I suppose they were overly solemn. I think pet funerals should be distinct from those of humans, with people assembling to talk to the pet in a cozy environment," she said.

Instead of a traditional farewell stand, the farewell room on her second floor features a large carpet, with blankets and fresh flowers placed at the center for the departed pet. She encourages pet owners to create an album to revisit the cherished memories, thereby bolstering their psychological resilience.

"The market in Beijing is almost saturated, so we encountered a tough time at the beginning, with only two orders in the first month," she said, adding that the situation has improved, with a dozen orders now coming in each month.

Although the earnings haven't covered her investments including skills learning in Taiwan, as well as designing and renting, Li has become determined in her chosen industry after a senior couple made a bow to her for her considerate services to their Samoyed dog.

"What I need is not a bow, but the message it conveyed — that I'm engaged in something truly meaningful. The happiness it brings is even more enduring than signing a multi-million-yuan business contract during my previous marketing and branding days," Li said.

As an advocate and practitioner of adoption rather than buying, Li had planned to offer five free cremation slots for deceased stray animals every month, which were swiftly filled within the first week. The store faced a dilemma at that time as the business didn't fall into place and outsourcing cremation incurred high costs.

"After discussion, we decided to postpone the project, as we can't afford it," she said.

"However, given the promising prospects of the industry, once we overcome the initial hurdles, the project will undoubtedly resume, and we are willing to shoulder more social responsibility."

limenghan@chinadaily.com.cn