"Earning Over 5 Million Won a Month Finding Dogs"…A Rising Job in China

China Sees Increase in Pet Owners
'Pet Detective' Gains Popularity

As the population of pet owners in China continues to grow steadily, the so-called "pet detective" profession, which helps find lost pets, is gaining popularity.

On the 4th (local time), the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that the demand for pet detectives who find missing cats, dogs, and other pets in China is increasing. Most of them are self-employed and promote their services through social networking services (SNS) and e-commerce platforms.

[Image source=Pixabay]

The media cited physical strength and good health as essential qualities for finding missing animals. Good eyesight and logical reasoning skills are also necessary, along with practical knowledge and experience with modern technologies such as thermal cameras and drones.

Mr. Liu Wei, a current pet detective, said that the equipment needed for finding animals costs about 20,000 yuan (approximately 3.77 million KRW). Liu, who started detective work in 2012, once considered quitting due to lack of financial gain but continued because he knew how much pet owners needed the service. Liu said, "I feel the greatest satisfaction when the owner reunites with their lost pet," adding, "The feeling at that moment is indescribable."

[Image source=Pixabay]

The demand for pet detectives is steadily increasing. On China's online secondhand market Xianyu, the search volume for the keyword 'looking for cats and dogs' has nearly quadrupled in the first half of this year alone. As a result, many who have entered the pet detective business are reportedly earning up to 30,000 yuan (approximately 5.65 million KRW) per month.

Meanwhile, China's pet market is growing rapidly. According to the "China Pet Industry White Paper 2023-2024" released by a Chinese marketing company, there were 52 million pet dogs and 70 million pet cats in China last year, totaling over 120 million pets. Global market research firm Research and Markets forecasts that the number of pets in China will reach 200 million next year.