China emerges as world's fastest-growing pet market with 30.4 pct jump in related jobs

Pet owners shop with their pet at Marsmart pet store in THE BOX Youth Energy Center in Chaoyang district of Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 16, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Zhaoqing)

China's Generation Z, which has emerged as a formidable force in the country's pet market, is driving new trends in the job market and making significant contributions to the rapidly expanding pet economy.

Among the top 10 job categories with the highest recruitment growth during the first three quarters of 2025, pet economy-related positions ranked second with a 30.4 percent growth rate — trailing only machine learning engineers — according to Guo Sheng, chairman of Zhaopin.com, one of China's major online recruitment platforms.​

Interest-driven careers are a defining characteristic of Gen Z.

Data from Zhaopin.com reveals that the growth rate for dog trainers reached 28 percent in 2025. Many dog trainers are passionate pet lovers themselves, making the profession an extension of their personal interests.

This eye-opening data serves as a vivid illustration of the explosive growth in China's pet industry, a key topic at the third national human resources services industry development conference held Nov. 28-29 in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province.

The country's pet market is expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 13.3 percent, making it the fastest-growing pet market in the world.

According to a research report released by Huayuan Securities, pet owners born after 2000 are fueling new growth in China's pet market. In 2024, the number of post-2000s pet owners is estimated to have exceeded 20 million, marking a 164 percent year-on-year increase. This demographic accounts for 25.6 percent of the total pet-owning population, with a penetration rate of 24 percent.

While the average annual expenditure on a single pet stands at 2,419 yuan (about $342), owners from the post-2000s generation prefer an approach akin to parenting, according to the report. This shift is fueling rising demand for personalized pet products, veterinary services, insurance, grooming, photography and pet-related social activities.