Terms like “high-quality caring warm boy”, “fair-skinned long-legged sports student”, “dark-skinned sports department E dog”, and “passionate handsome guy” have recently appeared on pet “dating resumes” at a “pet matchmaking corner” in Wuhan, sparking online jokes that “this generation of young people is arranging marriages for their pets”.
From May 17th to 20th, the “Non-Pet Disturbance” pet dating event was held at the atrium on the second floor of Wuhan MixC Mall. Lasting four days, the event attracted nearly 45 “cute pet guests”. A dating wall was set up to display pet profiles, and a “crush guest” voting session was opened, with the guest receiving the most votes winning a prize.
As a pet-friendly mall, Wuhan MixC regularly hosts pet-themed events. According to event organizer Ms. Li, since establishing a pet community last year, the mall has attracted over 400 members. “There are many group members who want to set up dates for their pets, so we planned this special dating event during the ‘520’ period,” she said.
At the matchmaking corner, pets have customized “dating resumes” detailing their gender, age, breed, relationship history, and mate selection criteria. Reporters noticed that many pet owners evaluate potential partners from multiple dimensions, with some even assigning MBTI personality types to their pets as a reference for matching.
Several creative pet resumes stood out. A Whippet dog’s criteria of “runs fast, doesn’t eat feces” made staff laugh, while a 9-month-old Schnauzer hopes to arrange a baby marriage with a “tall, rich, and handsome” dog.
Ms. Li shared the story of a Bichon Frise owner who was eager to find a partner for their dog before it was sterilized. The owner not only posted a resume on the dating wall but also shared a “dating poster” in the community.
Participant Ms. Wang said the event isn’t just about helping pets “get off the market” but also providing social opportunities. “It’s less about owners choosing ‘crushes’ and more about whether the dogs get along offline,” she noted. Another attendee with a sterilized Teddy said that while her dog couldn’t participate, many friends were looking to “propose marriage” for their pets.
Staff revealed that every day, pet owners formed “cheering squads” to vote for their favorite guests, with some candidates receiving over 20 votes.
“Young people make up the main pet-owning group here, and they love dressing up their pets,” Ms. Li said. “Today’s pet owners see their pets as family and want them to be part of daily life.”
The rise of pet dating markets follows the explosive growth of China’s pet industry. The 2025 China Pet Industry White Paper (Consumer Report) shows there were 124 million pets in 2024. A Xianyu Side Hustle Industry Report adds that 3 million people nationwide use the platform for pet matchmaking annually, while Xiaohongshu has over 70,000 notes under the “pet dating” hashtag.
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