Illustration: Xia Qing/GT

　　Amid this year"s Spring Festival travel rush, the high-speed rail pet transportation service has been extended to 67 additional stations, bringing the total to 110 stations nationwide. The number of high-speed trains offering the service has risen from 54 to 170, CCTV News reported on Thursday. This rapid expansion demonstrates that consumer demand for specialized services is influencing how industries operate at scale in the pet market.

　　The rise of pet-related travel services during the Spring Festival - the busiest time of the year for railway transportation - signals more than rising demand in the pet economy. It reflects how China"s economy is evolving to meet more diverse, sophisticated, and emotionally driven consumer demand. By catering to the growing pet market segment that demands quality, personalization, and convenience, businesses are incentivized to innovate across industries, while foreign companies can find entry points in differentiated offerings.

　　China"s booming pet economy is expanding across the entire industrial chain, spanning sectors from travel and fashion to healthcare. The urban market for dog and cat consumption exceeded 300 billion yuan ($43.2 billion) in 2024, a 7.5 percent year-on-year increase, according to a consumption report released by Petdata, a big data online platform in the pet industry.

　　Another report from iiMedia Research predicted the market will reach a scale of 1.15 trillion yuan by 2028. This sector"s size and growth prospects show that pet-related services, from travel to healthcare, are part of a mainstream and expanding consumer economy.