On August 19, the 28th Asia Pet Fair officially commenced at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. The exhibition halls were buzzing with energy as thousands of pet lovers flocked to the event. Visitors strolled through the aisles with shopping bags in hand, pausing frequently to try out the latest products. In the outdoor zone, the splashing of water and the cheerful beats of music created a lively atmosphere as adorable pets played and frolicked in the pool. Covering an exhibition area of 320,000 square meters, this year's fair has gathered over 2,600 domestic and international exhibitors, setting a new record in scale. This grand pet event not only reflects the myriad changes driven by consumption upgrades but also showcases Shanghai's urban practice of leveraging exhibitions as a nexus to integrate commercial, cultural, tourism, and sports resources, thereby promoting the deep integration of culture, business, tourism, sports, and exhibitions.
New product launches have always been the core highlight of the Asia Pet Fair. This year, the "Asia-Pacific New Product Launch and Innovation Initiative" has been comprehensively upgraded, aiming to build a premier platform for new product releases in the Asia-Pacific pet industry. Reportedly, over 100 global new products made their Asia-Pacific debuts here, covering various sectors including pet food, home essentials, smart devices, and grooming and medical care. Additionally, more than 200 trendsetting global products that have been on the market for less than 120 days made a grand appearance, helping professional buyers significantly shorten their decision-making cycles. Many innovative products that directly address the daily pain points of pet owners have garnered massive attention upon their release.
In the Smart Devices Zone, Shanghai Xingchen Smart Pet Technology Co., Ltd. introduced POLARIX, the world's first smart harness. Equipped with proprietary optical technology and a canine health algorithm, the product collects core data such as the pet's heart rate, body temperature, and heart rate variability. Combined with AI to assess the pet's health status, it accurately calculates the risk of heatstroke. "The harness is remarkably lightweight and doesn't feel restrictive like a smart collar; I'm really eager to get one," said a visitor trying it out on-site. With heatstroke being a major concern when taking pets out in summer, the launch of this product undoubtedly provides a brand-new solution.
In the pet healthcare and medical sector, Elanco Animal Health, a globally renowned pet pharmaceutical brand, brought its latest antiparasitic product. "Many pet owners tend to forget to administer combined internal and external deworming for their pets. That's why we specifically developed Qibeile®, a feline broad-spectrum antiparasitic that requires only a single dose and remains effective for 12 weeks," explained a booth staff member. This feline fluralaner and moxidectin topical solution is the first long-acting broad-spectrum internal and external antiparasitic product for cats in mainland China, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs' domestic new veterinary drug registration data up to June this year. Following its debut, it will be officially launched at the end of August. Meanwhile, Beberoad, a Guangdong-based company specializing in pet outdoor products, debuted its new T5max pet stroller at the fair. Weighing only 8.5 kilograms, the stroller features one-touch folding and can be easily stored in a car trunk. "The Asia Pet Fair attracts a large number of real pet owners. It allows us to engage directly with consumers to collect first-hand feedback and connect with channel distributors across the country, laying a solid foundation for its nationwide launch," said a company representative.
From simply raising pets well to refining pet care, as more young people treat their pets as family members, pet ownership has evolved into a lifestyle that pays meticulous attention to detail. This year's fair has delved deep into segmented markets, setting up specialized pavilions such as the Premium Cat Lifestyle Pavilion, the Human-Pet Lifestyle Pavilion, and the Asia Pet Health & Wellness Zone. These cover niche areas such as senior pet care, exotic pet keeping, pet behavioral health, and pet-friendly home decor. The "2025 Pet Industry Blue Book: Insights into China's Senior Pet Consumption Report" shows that in 2025, senior and geriatric pets aged seven and above will account for about 20% of the total, with the number of senior cats reaching approximately 10.83 million. Refined, stage-specific feeding has become a new trend. The exhibition halls are filled with joint care, gastrointestinal regulation products, and rehabilitation aids tailored for senior dogs and cats. Mars Pet Nutrition's Nutro launched the Complete Health Nutrition Series Grain-Free Complete Health PLUS, scientifically formulating over 40 nutrients. Local brand Nourse brought the "PeeCube" focusing on urinary health and the "NeuterCube" tailored for the entire spay and neuter cycle, precisely addressing segmented needs.
The Exotic Pet Zone is also a major highlight this year. The "2025 China Pet Industry White Paper" shows that in 2024, the scale of exotic pet owners in China reached approximately 17.07 million, with parrot keepers accounting for as much as 53.6% of the bird-owning community. Along with the rising trend of exotic pet keeping, ZhongAn Insurance held a new product launch on-site, initiating the first presale of the country's first parrot insurance, filling the market gap in exotic pet insurance.
Against the backdrop of the industry's vigorous development, a large number of emerging domestic pet brands are accelerating their rise. The fair has specifically set up an Emerging Brands Zone and a "Start-up" Independent Designer Zone. In the "Ideal Human-Pet Home" section, the Maker Design Competition showcased a battle of creativity, with 23 shortlisted works featuring innovative ideas such as pet ball launchers and partial prosthetics open for visitor voting. "I hope to leverage the Asia Pet Fair to connect with more high-quality clients and give more fur babies the chance to run again," said a maker and designer from a Suzhou-based pet prosthetics brand. Meanwhile, Shanghai Guchuan Packaging Machinery Co., Ltd., which boasts 78 years of industry experience, made a grand debut in the Supply Chain Zone. Mr. Lu, a staff member, said the company brought an integrated modular pet food packaging solution, hoping to deeply penetrate the pet food industry and seize the opportunities of economic development.