China dog lovers pay thousands for luxury pet funerals - Mashable
When Beijing resident Peter Long had to put down his dog Bella, he paid extra to have her cremated alone rather than with other dogs. The decision bumped the price from RMB 300 ($47) to RMB 1,300 ($205), and it came with a disturbing extra perk: photo evidence. The animal hospital sent photos of Bella’s body to his smartphone before, during and after the cremation process. Long’s post-mortem experience with Bella, who died after a long and costly battle with canine distemper, is fairly typical in China. China’s pet owners like to spoil their cats and dogs. A wardrobe of animal outfits and high-dollar hairdos are par for the course when strolling down the high streets of Shanghai. Pet cremations in China typically run between $50 and $1,200, and some stretch much higher. A basic package like Long’s usually includes cremation, a nice urn and maybe a small burial plot on a farm in the countryside. Cheap cremations often include several dogs at once, and the ashes you get back might come from more than one animal. Dogs are often buried or cremated with their favourite toys and outfits, and their caskets are wreathed with flowers, incense and candles. Source: mashable.com
