Storyline: China's pet economy on a paw-sitive rise [Voice_over] With roughly 124 million cats and dogs in China's urban areas, the country's pet industry is on track to continue its growth this year. Young people especially are eager to own a pet. Data from the 2025 China Pet Industry White Paper shows that more than 41 percent of pet owners were born in the 1990’s and more than 25 percent were born in the 2000’s. [Sound_bite] Pet owner: "Every time I go shopping, I buy products for my pet first. Even when it comes to online shopping festivals, such as the 'Double 11', I always purchase cat food and cat litter prior to what I need. I think for us young people, we treat our pets like they're our kids. I literally raise my pet as my own child.” [Sound_bite] Pet owner: "I’ve always liked pets. So, I think as long as you love to give your pets love, you actually do not anticipate any return from them." [Voice_over] As the country's pet economy grows, stores and restaurants are launching pet-friendly policies, which is catching the attention of urban developers looking to satisfy demand. [Sound_bite] Sezto Man Kit, Board director, Urban Revitalization Force: "About 30 percent of our customers came here with their pets. This group is quite large, indeed. Also, we've done researches which show that these pet owners have rather strong purchasing power.” [Voice_over] Data from the white paper shows that the urban dog and cat consumer market grew by almost eight percent between 2023 and 2024, hitting about 42 billion U.S. dollars. Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland