Off leash: China's pet industry shines in ailing economy

Beijing (AFP) Feb 28, 2025

Patterned poop bags, frilly dog dresses and exotic animals including minks and meerkats were on display at a bustling pet expo in Beijing, where the industry continues to thrive despite a sluggish economy. China is battling slowing growth as a real-estate crisis, persistently low consumption and high youth unemployment plague the world's second-biggest economy. Yet the pet industry is on