Final farewells for creatures great and small

In just two years, 30-year-old Zhang Yingjun has guided more than 1,000 families in Dalian, Liaoning province, through the difficult task of saying goodbye to their pets.

The animals range from common companions like cats and dogs to rabbits, hamsters, parrots, guinea pigs, and even a fox.

"For many owners, these animals are not just pets; they are friends and emotional pillars," said Zhang.

"Our work ensures that departed pets are treated with dignity and provides comfort to grieving owners," she said.

China's booming pet economy and stronger emotional bonds between people and their animals have fueled demand for pet funerals. The industry was worth 1.83 billion yuan ($257.4 million) in 2023 and is projected to approach 10 billion yuan by 2030, as Xinhua News Agency cited in an industry report.

Echoing that trend, Zhang said that more people now call themselves "pet parents" and willingly spend on professional after-life services for their "fur babies".

At Rainbow Garden, her shop in Dalian's Shahekou district, services cost anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand yuan.

"In 2023, our revenue exceeded 1 million yuan, and business is still growing," she said.

When an order comes in, Zhang or a colleague meets the family and brings the pet to the shop.

Each farewell ceremony is shaped around the pet's story, its personality, and the owner's wishes.

After cleaning and preparing the pet's body, it is placed on a small bed in the farewell room with fresh wood shavings and a lit candle. The door is then closed to give the owner one last private moment.

In 2023, the owner of a fox wrote in the shop's farewell notebook: "If possible, I hope one day I can open my eyes and find you coming back to the yard to look for me."

The words stayed with Zhang. Such moments, she said, make the work feel meaningful.

After cremation, ashes may be placed in a memorial room, kept in customized urns, or laid to rest through tree, sea, or traditional burial.

Zhang's team also provides paw-print keepsakes and memorial art made from fur or ashes, such as portraits or necklaces.

"Life-size hand-painted portraits of pets are the most popular," she said. "Seeing customers find solace through our work brings an incomparable sense of achievement and fulfillment."

A master's graduate of a top university, Zhang initially worked at a college but found the job draining and exhausting.

She resigned at the end of 2022 and opened a pet funeral home in the northeastern port city.

Her career change, she said, was driven by her love of animals. "When my Exotic Shorthair cat suddenly died of heart disease, I was devastated. Everything happened so fast. I was in a daze and stumbled across a pet cremation service."

"I felt regretful, as if I never had the chance to say goodbye properly," she said.

That experience led her to choose the pet funeral industry, which was still relatively untapped at the time.

"Many people didn't understand my decision," Zhang said. "They thought my last work was stable, respectable, and secure, while what I'm doing now sounds somewhat 'unlucky' to some. But I know exactly what I want."

Her client base is diverse, though predominantly composed of clients under 30.

She added that as more young people live alone, pets have increasingly become a source of companionship and emotional healing.

"More people are willing to pay for high-quality pet food, supplies, and medical services. That opens new business opportunities within the industry," Zhang said.

Last year, a Beijing-based pet undertaker whose screen name is Yinghao launched training programs for aspiring pet funeral directors. To date, he has trained about 30 people in small groups. "We keep the numbers small because we carefully select each trainee," Yinghao said, adding that his goal is to raise industry standards by cultivating high-quality operators who can drive healthy competition and provide better services.

Zhang believes pet funeral services have emerged in response to evolving social needs. However, the industry still faces challenges from inconsistent pricing and improper handling of remains due to the lack of standardized regulations.

She believes the sector should continue moving toward clearer standards and better oversight.

"I hope to develop our pet funeral home into a nationally recognized pet service brand with high-quality after-life services and emotional support to more pet owners," Zhang said.

zhangxiaomin@chinadaily.com.cn