Former steel town purrs ahead on tail of 'pet economy'

If economic development were a symphony, the sounds of Anshan, Northeast China's Liaoning province, would be shifting from the piercing clangor of steelmaking to the meows and woofs of pet cats and dogs.

Fueled by strong nationwide demand for pets, the city is reimagining its future, leaving its old industrial past behind. As the country enters the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, Anshan is aiming to establish itself as the pet-breeding capital of China.

The rise of Anshan has long been tied to the fortunes of Ansteel Group Corp. However, the steelmaker — facing overcapacity, declining demand and intensified competition in the 1980s — experienced a prolonged downturn that resulted in widespread layoffs.

Many of the displaced steelworkers sought alternative ways to earn a living. Han Zongli, 61, was one of them. In the 1980s, after graduation, he became a steelworker, but a year later, he found himself unemployed.

Scrambling for income, Han opened a barber shop — and that's when everything changed.

One day, a customer came in with a pet dog, arousing Han's interest so much that he immediately went to a nearby pet market and bought a female puppy for 800 yuan ($112).

Later, she gave birth to three pups of her own, which Han sold for 3,000 yuan each.

Han found himself in the pet-breeding business and he wasn't alone. A lot of unemployed steelworkers saw the same opportunity, and a growing pet-related industry provided them with a lifeline. It also helped stitch together the city's social fabric in new ways.

'Furry flood'

The scale of Anshan's pet breeding sector today is substantial. More than 30,000 residents are currently involved in breeding, and trade and services for purebred dogs and cats, according to the city's agriculture and rural affairs bureau. Over 500,000 dogs and cats comprise the base animal population, with Anshan now supplying about 70 percent of China's pet dogs.

Han Wei, deputy director of Anshan's bureau of agriculture and rural affairs, said that the city is now the largest pet-breeding base in China.

Last year, 1.5 million dogs and cats were bred and sold. This year, the number is expected to hit 2 million.

And the industry is spreading in a furry flood to other cities in Liaoning — Shenyang, Dalian, Liaoyang and Fushun.

As of last year, Liaoning, with Anshan as a hub, had a pet industry that encompassed breeding, pet-related products, healthcare and cultural activities, and employed more than 150,000 people. The sector generates more than 30 billion yuan annually.