Public hisses at cat-sharing service in China’s Shenzhen

BEIJING: A cat shop in Shenzhen, a city in China’s southern Guangdong province, recently sparked public criticism after launching a cat-sharing service, China’s Xinhua news agency reported, citing the weekend edition of China Daily.

According to the shop’s rental agreement, which was circulated online, people can rent a cat for 39.9 yuan (US$6.35) a day after paying a deposit of 2,500 yuan (about US$396). The rent is paid on a monthly basis.

The cats will undergo health tests before and after the rental period to ensure that they are healthy, the shop said. The deposit will not be refunded if the cats are unhealthy or dead when they are returned, it said.

According to the agreement, people who are found to have abused the cats won’t have their deposit returned and will be held accountable.

The service provides temporary companionship for people who love cats but do not have the time or money to keep one regularly, according to the shop named Jixiang, which means “auspicious omen” in English.

It is believed to be the first time in China, where the sharing economy has grown rapidly in recent years, particularly for bikes and cars, that sharing has involved something alive.

However, the service has sparked public condemnation, with many people considering it a neglect of animal well-being. — Bernama