Japanese Shiba Inu dogs were reportedly dumped for ¥1,400 on a Chinese secondhand marketplace, with multiple dogs listed alongside photos of dirty cages. China's pet market is said to be worth approximately ¥7 trillion, but concerns have also been raised about transactions in appalling conditions and the sale of dead dogs.
China's pet industry has grown to approximately ¥7 trillion over 20 years, according to estimates by research firms, and the number of pet shops and breeders in the country has also increased. Meanwhile, Shiba Inu dogs, a Japanese breed, are reportedly attracting demand in the Chinese market.
A search for Shiba Inu listings on Xianyu, a Chinese secondhand marketplace, found numerous images of multiple dogs crammed into dirty cages. Concerns have been raised about the dogs' health and the conditions in which they are kept.
Examples included listings offering two dogs together and others seeking buyers for groups that included pregnant female dogs. Puppies under 3 months old were commonly priced at around ¥20,000–¥25,000, while adult dogs were often listed for several thousand yen.
A report on the situation said that the popularity of Shiba Inu dogs in Japan was also a factor, with views presented that the influence of Hollywood films and rising demand in China were driving the trade.