Fur-st of its kind: China debuts pet degree as booming industry faces talent crunch
The four-year undergraduate programme aims to train experts in pet nutrition, behaviour, breeding and care.
BEIJING: China is giving paws a place in the classroom with its first university degree focused on pets, as demand for skilled professionals rises in the fast-growing industry.
Offered by China Agricultural University in Beijing, the new animal science major will welcome an inaugural batch of 50 students in September.
Unlike traditional animal science programmes that focus on livestock, the four-year degree will zero in on companion animals such as dogs, cats and horses, according to the university’s online brochure.
"Companion animals are pets that can live with humans, communicate intimately and emotionally with them, and bring joy to their lives,” said Liu Guoshi, vice dean of the university’s College of Animal Science, as reported by state broadcaster CCTV.
Students will cover everything from pet nutrition and breeding to behaviour and welfare, in a curriculum designed to meet real-world industry needs, according to Liu.
They will spend their first year studying at the main campus in Beijing, and the next three years at a research institute in the city of Yantai in Shandong province. Graduates will be awarded a Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree.
The news has sparked buzz online, with some Chinese netizens quipping they would return to university just to enrol in the new pet major.
“Are graduate students from other majors welcome?” asked one Xiaohongshu user with the handle “protector of cats”.
Another user on the Chinese social media app, Lang Lang, highlighted how the pet industry is “really in demand”.
“(You) don’t need to have kids, but pets are a must,” the person wrote.
TOO MANY PETS, NOT ENOUGH PROS?
China’s pet industry has boomed in recent years, fuelled by young, affluent consumers increasingly willing to spend on their furry companions.
According to the latest China Pet Industry White Paper released by Petdata, the urban market for pet dogs and cats rose by 7.5 per cent to 300.2 billion yuan (US$41.7 billion) in 2024.
More pet owners are looking to travel with their animals, even abroad, despite challenges in securing pet-friendly transport and accommodation. In a sign of the times, the country’s state rail operator recently expanded high-speed train access for pets.
But even as the pet industry thrives, it’s struggling to find enough trained hands.
About 500,000 pet-related businesses - from pet food and supplies to grooming and insurance - are currently registered in China, but the sector is facing “acute labour shortages”, state news agency Xinhua reported on Monday (Jun 23).
The talent crunch is also reflected in pet care. The country’s 30,000-plus pet hospitals rely on just 40,000 certified veterinarians, averaging one per clinic, according to Xinhua.
"The shortage of skilled professionals is one of the biggest constraints on the industry's healthy development," said Yan Jinsheng, vice chairman of the China Pet Industry Association.
Similarly, Liu told CCTV that a large number of animal science experts with a background in companion animals are “urgently needed”.
He said there is growing demand for professionals in academic institutes, vet clinics, regulatory bodies, and industry associations.
“The pet industry has become a new growth point for animal husbandry,” Liu said.
