Working 9-5: Dogs, other pets go to 'work' in China's pet cafes

Several household pets are sent to "work" in pet cafes in China by their owners in a recent phenomenon, CNN reported on Monday. 

Pet cafes, such as dogs, cats, or other pets, are spaces where visitors can interact with animals while ordering food and beverages. Many cafes aim to promote pet adoption, with cats, dogs, or other animals available to meet and be adopted by visitors. They have become increasingly common in cities around the world.

These cafes are notable businesses in China, where owners charge more for these experiences and visitors get to interact and play with animals around the cafes. 

According to CNN's report, customers to pet cafes in China pay an entrance fee of 30-60 yuan ($4-8.5) or purchase something like a beverage from a coffee shop. 

A PhD student named Jane Xue told CNN that she drops off her Samoyed dog named "OK" at a dog cafe in Fuzhou, in southeastern China, and the dog's experience is similar to a 9-5 job. 

Xue told CNN she had several reasons for wanting to drop OK off at a pet cafe. For one, she wanted her dog to experience variety in daily life, as humans go out on weekends and experience new places. 

She also said that she hoped that the pet cafe would make her pet feel less lonely, as she could play with other dogs and people visiting the cafe. 

Pet cafes potentially save money for owners

Another notable reason was that OK's "job" allows Xue and her partner to save money. If OK stayed at home, they would have to keep the air conditioning on all day, which can be expensive. 

This has become a trend in China, CNN stated, called "Zhengmaotiaoqian," or to "earn snack money." According to CNN, this concept reflects the idea that pets work at these cafes and return to their families at night, akin to humans going to work. 

According to CNN, this trend reflects China's demographic changes, noting that China is expected to have more pets than toddlers by the end of 2024, citing Goldman Sachs. 

Cafe and pet owners have posted ads and resumes to Chinese social media to seek "employees," with users joking about salaries of canned cat food and taxes. 

CNN reported that pet cafes would watch and see if people's pets were friendly and interacted well with customers and other pets, a "screening process," before officially being offered the job.