Vivid details

Wang Yinghao found his calling when he saw a news story about pet funerals three years ago.

He was moved by the report, which included details of a man carrying his golden retriever from his car to a room, laying it gently on a small bed, and standing by the animal's side for a long time, his eyes brimming with tears.

"I could only imagine the pain," said Wang, who comes from Danyang city, Jiangsu province.

The story reminded him of the dog he had to bid farewell to at home in his childhood.

Wang decided to quit his job as a furniture designer, which he started immediately after graduating in Beijing. At the end of 2019, he and a friend established Rainbow Planet, a funeral service for pets.

The service's name derives from the range of animals it caters to, which mainly covers cats and dogs, but also include birds, snakes and lizards.

"One reason I established the service was that I was a little tired of my previous job," said Wang, who is in his 20s. "I had also experienced the death of my own dog, so I believed the service could be of help to pet owners."

However, it was not plain sailing initially, as finding an ideal location for the service took some time. Wang first rented an office space that shared a wall with another company.

"Their conference room and our guest lounge were next to each other, and sounds could be heard through the wall," Wang said, adding that this was awkward when pet owners were crying while the other company was holding a business meeting.

In December 2020, after searching for more than two months, Wang found a house with a courtyard in an industrial park, giving his customers more privacy.

He keeps his phone switched on at all times, as a pet could die in the middle of the night.

When he receives a call from a grieving pet owner, he explains how his business operates. He then arranges a date for an appointment, for which he sometimes has to pick up an owner from his or her home.

"Pet owners can be so distraught over an animal's death that in some cases they might cause an accident if they drive themselves," Wang said.