Pet shop staff prepare pets for trimming.

　　The Spring Festival is approaching, and while many people are buying New Year goods, they are also beginning to make various preparations for their pets to welcome the arrival of the Lunar New Year with a new look. On February 6, reporters from West China Metropolis Daily and Cover News visited many pet shops and pet beauty hospitals in Chengdu and saw that many citizens brought their pets to have "beauty treatments": get a new haircut, change into a small cotton-padded jacket... …At the same time, pet boarding is also extremely popular, with many stores’ “rooms” already booked, and boarding fees generally rising.

　　cosmetic

　　Almost fully booked years ago

　　On the afternoon of February 6, the reporter went to a pet store in Wuhou District, Chengdu City. Even though it was a working day, there were still many pets being "groomed" in the store.

　　"I knew there would be more people trimming their dogs before the Spring Festival, but I didn't expect so many. Several stores are fully booked. It was hard to get an appointment at this store." Come here to "groom your dogs" Ms. Yu said that if she dresses up beautifully during the Chinese New Year, she must also dress up her pets to make them more festive when they go out to play. “We bathe and groom dogs because they come into contact with more children during the Spring Festival, so they can be safer and cleaner,” she said.

　　“The clippers used for shaving are so full of sparks.” The owner of the pet shop joked that the pets who come to the shop for “beauty treatment” before the Spring Festival are basically booked in advance, and now they are fully booked by the 29th of the twelfth lunar month. . "The staff in the store are busy from morning to night, and there is no way to increase the number," he said.

　　During the visit, the reporter learned that before the Spring Festival holiday, pet store sales and service prices generally increased significantly. "As the peak season for pet shops, sales before the Spring Festival usually increase by 50% to 100%." ​​The owner of a pet shop in Chenghua District, Chengdu said that before holidays, about 10 pets are groomed and cared for every day. In the first half of the Spring Festival, the workload will increase greatly. On a single day, nearly 30 pets will be simply cleaned. The price will also be adjusted, probably by about 10%.

　　The reporter saw that the pet store also sells pet clothing in various styles, such as coats, cotton-padded jackets, vests, etc. While waiting for their pets to be groomed, many citizens also choose new clothes for their pets for the New Year. Depending on the size of the pet, the price of pet clothes is slightly different, basically around 100 yuan. As the Spring Festival is approaching, most of the pet clothes sold in this store are festive and reunion-oriented.

　　"Because we are going back to Hebei for the New Year and it's relatively cold there, we bought a red cotton-padded jacket for the dog and prepared to wear it on the Spring Festival. On the one hand, it is to keep out the cold, and on the other hand, it is a festive occasion." Ms. Zhao, a citizen, said that during the Chinese New Year last year, the dog was fostered in a pet store, and this year she planned to take it back to her hometown for the Chinese New Year.

　　foster care

　　Prices are rising and “one cage is hard to find”

　　During the Chinese New Year, pet boarding becomes the first choice for people who find it inconvenient to take their pets back to their hometowns.

　　"During the Spring Festival, foster care usually has to be booked one month in advance, and it is basically full now." The reporter saw in a pet store in Jinjiang District, Chengdu that most of the pet cages in the store already had pets living in them. As for the daily foster care price, the store clerk said that according to the size of the dog, there are 40 yuan, 80 yuan, and 158 yuan "standard room" that does not live in a cage in a separate area. They will be walked for about 10 minutes in the morning and evening. , the price of fostering a cat is about 40-70 yuan per day.

　　"Prices have increased during the Spring Festival. They have doubled on New Year's Eve and the two days before and after New Year's Eve. At other times, prices have increased by 50%. Now there are only three cages left in the store, and they were canceled by previous booking customers." The clerk said.

　　The reporter visited many pet stores and found that it is common for pet care fees to rise during the Spring Festival, with the increase ranging from 20% to 100%. Although the price of foster pets has increased, it still cannot stop the enthusiasm of "shockers" for consumption. "Deluxe rooms" with high prices and large areas are even more in demand.

　　"The 'standard rooms' in our store were booked a month ago, and they are all regular customers. Many pet owners have already made travel plans for the Spring Festival, so they book early." A pet store clerk said that during the Spring Festival, there will be many events in the store. There are people on duty to provide morning and evening cleaning and dog walking services. Owners can also check the status of their pets through video at any time.

　　"This year's Spring Festival, the whole family is going to travel to Hainan for the New Year. The two cats at home can only stay in Chengdu. Based on safety and professional considerations, they finally chose a pet store for foster care." Ms. Lin, a citizen, said. The reporter noticed that in addition to foster care, some pet shops and individuals also offer door-to-door feeding services for some pets. The services include cleaning the living environment, grooming, shoveling poop and interacting with each other. The cost is mostly more than 100 yuan.

　　remind

　　You should choose a qualified pet agency

　　The popularity of foster care services is ultimately due to the huge demand. For families who raise pets, it is important to choose a hosting agency with complete qualifications. "my country's pet economy is still in its infancy, and some foster care places have problems such as unreasonable fees, opaque management, and irregular operations." Some people in the pet industry said that before fostering pets, a contract should be signed with the foster care place to clarify the pet's name, health status, Charge standards, service content, risk responsibilities and other related information. This actually constitutes a custody service agreement, which is conducive to establishing the responsibilities and obligations of both parties and protecting the rights and interests in the pet fostering process.

　　Industry insiders said that even under the constraints of the contract, pets still face some force majeure factors during the foster care process. For example, when pets come to an unfamiliar environment, their resistance may decrease due to fear and stress reactions, making them prone to illness. Therefore, before pet care, pet owners should provide the pet’s medical history, allergies and other information to the care center so that the care agency can better care for the pet and properly handle special situations.

　　"Before choosing pet foster care, it is best to conduct an on-site inspection to check whether the business qualifications are complete, whether the hygienic conditions are up to standard, and whether the service content and service attitude meet your expectations; even if individuals come to feed pets, a clear written agreement must be made in advance, and Try to configure cameras and retain evidence as much as possible," said an industry insider.

　　West China Metropolis Daily - cover news reporter Zhu Ning's photo report