A new service for animal lovers is gaining popularity in China: hourly dog rentals. The service launched in March, based on a social media mini-app called Wangbu ("dog walk"). The platform allows residents of major cities—Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen—to rent dogs for walks.

Pet owners create profiles for their pets with photos, descriptions of their personalities, and rental terms. Prices range from 10 to 60 yuan (approximately 1,50 USD to 9 USD) per hour, depending on the breed and duration of the walk. After agreeing on the details, the renter and owner agree on a meeting time and location directly.

Some owners impose additional conditions to ensure their pets' safety. For example, one owner allows their dog to be walked only in their presence and forbids feeding it anything other than food provided by them.

The service is part of a rapidly growing industry. The number of pets in Chinese cities has exceeded 124 million, and the market for pet products and services is projected to reach approximately 55 billion USD by 2027.

However, the new format has raised concerns among animal rights activists, who warn of possible stress in animals due to frequent changes of owners.