Pictures and words by Zhang Jia Qian
Translated by Cara Steenstra

With a mild temperate climate, Taichung City is like an attractive, well-kept garden, with spacious green areas surrounding residential communities. Thanks to such a pleasant recreational environment and Taiwan's current trend of having fewer children, together with an aging population, a growing number of people have opted to keep a pet or pets. Whether they have families or are single, many cat and dog lovers treat their pets as part of their families, giving them their utmost care and attention. This in turn has led to a recent boom in the pet product and veterinarian markets.

When heading towards the city's Seventh Redevelopment Zone, along Wuquan West Road and in front of the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, you will see four or five pet-related gift shops and animal hospitals within a 300-meter stretch that has turned into a "Pet Street". Some of the shops resemble pet shopping malls, with large store areas that include an animal hospital and consultation area. They also offer beauty care, pet accommodations and medical services. Pet owners can come here and select daily products that their beloved animals require. Apart from more commonly seen household pets, a selection of weird and wonderful creatures such as miniature pigs, Spiny Hill Turtles, lizards and much more are also offered by some of the shops. If you find something you like, you can take your new companion home right away.

Thanks to the pet business boom, the first Japanese imported pet boutique with five-star facilities has also established itself on this "Pet Street". It has an area of 300 pings and, apart from offering a huge selection of boutique pet products, has a special upstairs cafe and dining area where owners can bring their pets and enjoy a meal together. If you are interested in taking studio photos with your pet, they have a special photography studio and photographer on hand to preserve precious memories for you and your pet. There is also an amusement area and other special services, making this place a pet heaven, indeed.

As the trend of keeping pets continues to grow, a growing number of businesses are using different marketing techniques to attract customers. These multi-faceted, quality services make caring for pets a lot easier, and also help improve the quality of life for your beloved animals, bringing many warm, happy days for both pets and their owners.