As the number of pet owners in China is rapidly increasing, a new profession has emerged that helps find lost pets. This new job is commonly referred to as a Pet Detective.
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on July 4, the number of people entering the business of finding missing cats and dogs, known as animal detectives, is rising in China.
The reason for the popularity of such unique jobs as animal detectives is the rapid growth of the pet market in China. China’s pet market is the second-largest in the world after the United States (approximately $123 billion). According to iMediaResearch, the size of China’s pet market grew to $80 billion last year despite being $13 billion in 2015.
Most of these animal detectives are self-employed and promote their services through social media and e-commerce platforms to find work. The search volume for the keyword finding cats and dogs on Xianyu, a Chinese online secondhand marketplace, has increased nearly fourfold in the first half of this year alone.
With the continuous increase in related demand, many of them reportedly earn up to $4,200 a month.
To become an animal detective, several conditions must be met. Physical strength is needed to find animals that tend to hide in difficult places, along with good eyesight and logical reasoning abilities.
Practical knowledge and experience with modern technology, such as thermal imaging cameras and drones, are also required. Liu Wei, an active animal detective, told Chinese media that “the cost of the equipment needed for this job alone is $2,800.”
Meanwhile, Research and Markets, a global market research firm, predicted that the number of pets in China will reach 200 million by next year.
