China is developing a western-style relationship with their pets. Time for animal welfare laws.

It is reported that there has been a 30% increase over recent years in the number of pet funeral-related enterprises in China. In other words, more and more citizens of China are deciding to cremate their companion animal on their passing. This clearly indicates a close relationship between human caregiver and animal.

Chinese woman and black cat. Photo: Adobe Stock.

For example, at Zhongqiao village in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, there is a white building which is a pet crematorium. It's reported that more than 3,000 companion animals have been cremated there over the past three years.

The owner of the crematorium says that prices are scaled according to the size of the animal and they range from 800-2000 Yuan per cremation. This is US$125.8-US$314.4.

The prices seem quite high. In the UK, you can get an individual companion animal cremation for around a similar price. And I'm going to presume that the prices quoted in China relate to non-individual cremations. 

I much prefer individual cremations because when you receive the ashes you know that they are absolutely the ashes of your companion animal although, you probably know, that in a proper cremation there is no DNA left of the animal in the ashes.

I'm also told that there are now 6,900 pet funeral and cremation businesses in China. This comes from Tianyancha, an enterprise big data service provider.

All the more reason, therefore, for the Chinese authorities to introduce, as a matter of urgency, proper, general animal welfare laws that protect all animals as has been the case in the West for many, many years. 

RELATED: Pet ownership surging in China but still no general animal welfare law!

They simply have to adopt an existing piece of legislation in the West such as the Animal Welfare Act 2006 in the UK. This is an excellent act which not only protects animals but also sets out the basic requirements of animal welfare.

Is it such a mountain to climb to the Chinese authorities to integrate this sort of legislation into their society?

The lack of animal protection laws in China results in state-sanctioned animal cruelty as recently evidenced in Shanghai - read this story by clicking here.