China coronavirus lockdown sees surge in abandoned pets

PanARMENIAN.Net - While the streets of Chinese cities have largely emptied of people since the COVID-19 epidemic took hold over a month ago, curious interlopers have emerged in the virus’ wake: stray pedigree pets, Time says in an article.

The virus has caused shops and factories to close and forced millions to self-quarantine in their homes to avoid being infected by the pneumonia-like disease, which has so far sickened 90,000 and killed 3,100 across the globe.

But a little reported effect of the crisis has been the abandonment of family pets by owners unwilling or unable to care for them amid lockdown conditions and misguided fears of contamination. On one recent afternoon, a woman driving a Mercedes Benz approached this TIME reporter in the street in Shanghai and asked whether I would take any of the three well-groomed dogs that sat on the rear passenger seats.

“It’s very concerning,” says Mary Peng, founder of the International Center for Veterinary Services clinic in Beijing. “China’s animal shelters are generally unlicensed and run by good Samaritans and they are completely overwhelmed.”

Although pet ownership is a relatively new phenomenon in China, there are an estimated 150 million pets across the country today, according to local media, with dogs most popular. China’s pet industry is projected to be worth $30 billion in 2020, with pet ownership popularized by celebrities like movie icon Fan Bingbing, who regularly posts pictures of dogs and cats to her over 60 million social media followers.