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China's hourly dog rental trend sparks animal welfare concerns

By PulseAugur Editorial · [1 sources] ·

A new trend in China involves renting dogs by the hour through a social media platform called "Wangbu." This service allows urban residents in major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen to rent dogs for walks, with prices varying based on breed and duration. While the platform offers a novel way to interact with pets, it has also raised concerns among critics regarding potential animal stress due to frequent handler changes and the complexities of seeking legal recourse for abuse given pets are treated as property in China. AI

RANK_REASON The item discusses a social trend and its associated criticisms, rather than a specific event like a product launch or research finding.

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China's hourly dog rental trend sparks animal welfare concerns

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COVERAGE [1]

  1. SCMP — Tech TIER_1 English(EN) · Zoey Zhang ·

    New China dog rental trend draws warnings of animal stress from frequent handler changes

    A dog-rental platform has sparked both curiosity and concern as China’s urban pet economy takes an unexpected turn. Launched on social media in March, the mini-programme known as “Wangbu,” which loosely translates to “dog walk,” enables residents in first-tier cities like Beijing…

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