Pet cooling heats up on rising demand

With people willing to spend increasing amounts of money on their pets, China's pet cooling market is seeing a surge in demand.

Liu Yang, a dog owner in Beijing, has spent over 2,000 yuan ($278) this summer to help keep her dog cool during the hot weather.

"I bought an intelligent constant temperature pet bed which was priced at 2,000 yuan and I also bought a cooling suit for her. This summer is so hot, I don't want my dog to get sunstroke," Liu said.

A survey by the 36Kr media platform found that over 70 percent of pet owners are taking measures to keep their beloved pets cool. To ensure their pets' health in summer, pet owners are increasingly willing to pay for all kinds of cooling products.

According to a 2025 pet industry research paper issued by Huaxi Securities, consumer spending within China's pet industry in urban areas surpassed 300 billion yuan in 2024, up 7.5 percent year-on-year. With the increase of people's living standards, pet owners pour their emotions into their pets' lifestyles without reservation.

Wu Suwei, an independent consumption analyst, said: "With the rise in temperatures, plus the fact that pet owners have increased their emotional investment in their pets, viewing them as family members, they are willing to provide them with better living conditions. With the increases in consumer spending, the pet economy is rapidly developing, promoting the growth of the pet cooling market as a segmented market."

As the survey of 36Kr found, pet cooling products are increasingly diversified. From ice pads costing tens of yuan to pet air conditioners costing tens of thousands of yuan, from ice bath spas to pet-exclusive water parks, businesses have gone to great lengths to create cooling solutions for furry family members, meeting the various needs of the public in caring for pets in hot weather.

Basic cooling supplies such as ice mats are still mainstream. According to 36Kr, sales of these products this summer have grown 230 percent on a year-on-year basis.

In addition, outdoor equipment such as cooling suits and pet sandals have become a must-have for summer, and some products even incorporate waterproof, breathable and other technological elements, causing prices to skyrocket.

Pet beauty shops have also launched various cooling beauty programs, such as pet ice baths, pet cooling spas, etc. These services are said to clean pets' hair and skin, and also provide a cool feeling to pets by adding cooling ingredients such as mint and aloe vera.

For those who need to go out, pet hotels have launched cooling down packages, offering air conditioned rooms and heat-dispersing food, which cost a bundle.

Experts noted that the explosion of the pet cooling market reflects the current generation of pet owners' emphasis on the quality of pet life. According to 36Kr, the market is expected to surpass 5 billion yuan in value in the coming three years.

To grasp business opportunities, Wu suggested that product development should focus on practicality and safety. Enterprises should develop differentiated products based on the characteristics of different pets.

"The product price should be reasonable, to meet both high-end demand and the purchasing power of the general public. Meanwhile, online channels should integrate with offline channels to offer convenient ways for purchasing and after-sales service," he said.

As promising as the market is, experts warned that pet owners should pay attention to false claims in pet cooling.

They should be aware of what kind of product satisfies the rigid demand of pet cooling, and that others are merely false advertising. The real market transformation should occur at the bottom of consumption logic: from the emotional bondage of "giving the best to furry family members" to the rational cognition of scientific pet raising. The direction of future development should not be limited to the consumer spending frenzy and wants of owners, but should return to the health needs of pets themselves, experts added.