The 27th Pet Fair Asia opened on Aug 20 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, breaking records in scale and international participation. With more than 2,600 exhibitors from around the world and over 510,000 expected visits, the event has solidified its position as the flagship exhibition of the global pet industry.

The strong turnout reflects the momentum of China's rapidly expanding pet economy, with Shanghai emerging as a key hub.

Beyond the exhibition halls, the city is alive with signs of a pet-driven consumer boom. Adidas recently opened its global Originals flagship store in Shanghai, where matching pet-and-owner outfits have quickly become a hit among young shoppers.

In late July, China's first dog gym, GOGOGYM, opened in Xuhui district. The 300-square-meter facility features areas for fitness, hydrotherapy, massage, and retail, offering one-stop services to support pets' health and well-being.

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Industry experts note that as younger generations take the lead in pet ownership, spending is shifting from basic necessities to lifestyle upgrades, a trend known as "refined pet care". This change is driving demand for high-tech, emotionally engaging, and experience-driven products.

That trend is on full display at Pet Fair Asia. Exhibitors are showcasing a range of smart pet devices, such as a gourmet pet food processor, an orthopedic air-cushion bed that tracks heart rate and movement, a mobile video camera for tracking pets' growth, and the show's headline innovation: the world's first smartphone designed for pets.

Dubbed PetPhone, the device supports two-way calls between pets and owners, interactive voice features, six types of location tracking, and AI-powered health monitoring. By training pets to perform actions such as a triple jump, the phone can recognize commands and automatically initiate a call to the owner, according to the brand director at uCloudlink Group.

The rise of "smart pet living" is far from a passing trend. One industry insider notes that young people who treat pets as family members are willing to spend thousands, even tens of thousands, of yuan on technology that enhances their pets' lives. This deep integration of technology is expected to create new growth opportunities and keep the pet industry on a path of continuous innovation.

Sources: Shanghai Observer, official WeChat account of Xuhui district administration of culture and tourism at "xuhuilvyou", IC