From October to December 2025, the State Administration for Market Regulation, in conjunction with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, launched a special rectification campaign targeting the pet service industry, focusing on illegal practices such as unlicensed operation, false publicity and practicing beyond licensed scope. Statistics show that over 4,300 pet grooming and diagnosis institutions were inspected nationwide, with 210 irregular institutions penalized and 12 diagnosis licenses revoked. Among them, a chain pet grooming salon was fined 50,000 yuan for using unqualified grooming products and employing staff without health certificates; several “pet hospitals” were ordered to suspend business for performing surgeries without licensed veterinarians. A compliance guide for pet service institutions was also released during the campaign, requiring grooming shops to display staff health certificates and diagnosis institutions to hang their qualification certificates publicly. The authorities stated that a regular random inspection mechanism will be established to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of pet owners.

The State Administration for Market Regulation recently issued the national standard Pet Boarding Service Specifications, which will take effect on May 1, 2026. The standard stipulates that pet boarding institutions must provide each pet with an independent activity space of no less than 1 square meter, install 24-hour video surveillance accessible to pet owners, conduct mandatory health checks before boarding, ensure pets get at least 30 minutes of daily outdoor exercise, and keep detailed records of their diet and defecation. Detailed requirements for fire safety and hygiene conditions of boarding institutions are also specified. This standard will address the long-standing problems of overcrowded cages and inadequate care in the pet boarding industry, driving the transformation from extensive custody to refined care.

In January 2026, the Yangtze River Delta Pet Industry Association launched the “Pet Service Pass”, covering over 200 compliant institutions across 16 cities including Shanghai, Hangzhou and Nanjing. With the pass, pet owners can access grooming, bathing and basic diagnosis services at any partner institution across cities, all following unified service standards—such as bathing water temperature controlled between 38-40℃ and grooming tools disinfected per pet. The pass is also linked to pet health records, allowing historical diagnosis data to be retrieved directly for cross-city medical treatment. This initiative provides a replicable model for the integration of pet services nationwide.