The rapidly rising standard of living in the Republic of China has led to the increasing diversification of life for its citizens. As options increase, the average citizen becomes busier--previous chores become more difficult to accomplish as a greater proportion of time is spent engaged in differing activities. Clever businesspersons have capitalized on these situations and established special services aimed at saving time and energy that can be devoted to the pursuit of other interests. In previous editions of Sinorama, articles have introduced many of these new services. Among the reports have been introductions to computer dating, care for expectant mothers and recently an article dealing with hospital aides. This month the magazine takes a look at a rather novel service: the shops which cater to owners of pets, most specifically dogs and cats. These services include beauty and grooming shops as well as boarding kennels.

Common throughout the west, these special services are becoming more popular in the Republic of China. Busy lifestyles have created a legitimate need for these care services. Allowing experts to provide these services also ensures that the animals will be less likely to be harmed. A growing propensity to travel has been directly responsible for the establishment of Taipei's first independent boarding kennel.

Historically, interest in pet care came into prominence in 15th century Europe. Women of the aristocratic class often enjoyed grooming and dressing up their lap dogs. This pastime spread to the middle classes and by the 17th century the first dog shows were held in England. These early shows merely judged the most "beautiful" dog which was chosen from one class. There were no structured rules and no classification according to breed or size. Later shows began to use classifications--between police and toy dogs, and then further subdivided by size and breed. These shows helped expose people to dogs, especially the small long-haired breeds, which then became popular household pets.

The Persian cat, by far the most popular cat variety in the Republic of China, originated in Afganistan. During the 19th century, soldiers from the British army, stationed in the mountain kingdom returned home with the cats, which soon became popular pets. Years of selective breeding has produced the lovely show cat so admired today.

Specialized pet services became widespread in the west, where public demand resulted in a host of unusual pet businesses. Besides the standard beauty and grooming centers pet owners are also offered: pet insurance, pet hotels and restaurants, and funeral parlors. Insuring dogs requires the master get a "nose print" to serve as identification.

It wasn't until 1982 that the first pet-oriented services began to appear on Taiwan. Today there are the following services: the An An and Mei Mei Grooming Centers for dogs, and the Jen Jen boarding kennel. The Chin Mao Wang caters exclusively to cats.

Both An Hsiao-fen (An An), and Wang Shun-hua (Mei Mei), the respective owners have received professional training in dog care in Japan. Miss An grew up with family dogs but did not understand how to properly care for them. Upon graduation from high school, her father, who knew of the Japanese dog schools, suggested she go and study. After an intensive six months of language preparation she went in 1981. Wang Shun-hua on the other hand trained police dogs at the Feng Chin Police Dog Training Center and went to Japan in order to increase her knowledge of dog care.

Both centers offer similar services: grooming, clipping, washing and accessories. Basic costs vary from the standard wash and grooming for about US$15 to the clipping and styling that poodles undergo. Offering from 50 to 60 different styles, this poodle beautification can cost up to US$60. While decorative accessories are becoming more popular, they are still not as evident as they are in the west where dogs can wear anything that a human can.

Ch'iu Cheng-liang is the owner of the Jen Jen kennel. A veterinarian with his own clinic, Ch'iu opened the boarding kennel in a separate location to avoid the danger of dogs contracting viral infections from his pet patients. His kennel, which has accommodated up to 20 dogs, charges US$5.00 per day. Dogs are first thoroughly examined for any medical disorder before being admitted. Ch'iu is aware that each dog has its own unique personality so he takes special care to listen to the owners' individual instructions.

Chang Yao-yaun is the managing director of the Chin Mao Wang, the cat grooming center. He has spent a lot of time and energy studying the Persian cat and offers the following reasons for its universal appeal: they have a mild disposition, lustrous, fine hair, luminous eyes, and an appealing appearance. His father, Chang Fu-hsing also raises cats, in 1977 he began importing Persian cats to raise and sell. Taiwan's hot, humid climatic conditions took their toll on the young kittens and only about one fifth of them survived. Chang Yao-yuan then went abroad to study and gather more information on breeding and care. Upon his return he consulted with a veterinarian on breeding and today about one half of the young cats survive. The cat center which Chang runs is unique in many respects: one of their innovations was using music to replace the phone ring in order not to frighten the cats. Chang has some useful pointers for cat owners, among which are: expose young cats to water early as cats have an aversion to it, and as cats are quite habitual do not move their litter boxes, eating dishes and sleeping box as this can upset and confuse them.

When questioned on how the pet care services in the Republic of China can be improved, the resident experts had some useful suggestions. An Hsiao-fen feels that understanding the pet's personality is crucial, while the worker and owner should use a loving and patient attitude towards the animals. Ch'iu Cheng-liang feels that since the master has entrusted the care of his pet to you, you must pay the utmost attention to its needs. He also stresses cleanliness and frequent examination for infection and illness.

Presently the pet care centers are small scale. In order to operate more efficiently it has been suggested that they amalgamate into one cooperative enterprise with many subdivisions in order to offer all types of services at one time. However, it is hoped that pet owners in the Republic of China will continue to expand their knowledge and understanding of their pets while avoiding the trap of making owning a pet an extravagance.

(Gerald Hatherly)

[Picture Caption]

Show cats and dogs are usually small, gentle breeds which easily win the hearts of people: 1. a beautiful Persian cat, and 2. the simple sweetness of a Pekinese.

The multi-step procedure in washing a dog: 1,2,4. are three of the interim steps: rinsing, cleaning the ears, and styling the hair. 3. There are over 50 different clipping styles for the French poodle. Pictured is one of the more basic styles. 5. This Maltese, boarding at a kennel is treated like a special guest. His room has a carpet and comes complete with a toy ball and bone for play.

1. A black cat has her claws clipped at the "beauty salon." 2. This boarding cat strikes a reflective pose (perhaps she misses her master) while playing with a ball. 3. Long-haired cats must have frequent brushings in order to maintain the lustrous sheen of their coats. 4. A sample of a pet cat's daily necessities: canned food, milk powder, shampoo, cleansing agents and toys. 5. The clever and convenient designs of these transport cages. 6. A sample selection of the grooming articles used at the cat beauty center.

2. the simple sweetness of a Pekinese.

The multi-step procedure in washing a dog: 1,2,4. are three of the interim steps: rinsing, cleaning the ears, and styling the hair.

The multi-step procedure in washing a dog: 1,2,4. are three of the interim steps: rinsing, cleaning the ears, and styling the hair.

3. There are over 50 different clipping styles for the French poodle. Pictured is one of the more basic styles.

The multi-step procedure in washing a dog: 1,2,4. are three of the interim steps: rinsing, cleaning the ears, and styling the hair.

5. This Maltese, boarding at a kennel is treated like a special guest. His room has a carpet and comes complete with a toy ball and bone for play.

1. A black cat has her claws clipped at the "beauty salon.

2. This boarding cat strikes a reflective pose （perhaps she misses her master） while playing with a ball.

3. Long-haired cats must have frequent brushings in order to maintain the lustrous sheen of their coats.

4. A sample of a pet cat's daily necessities: canned food, milk powder, shampoo, cleansing agents and toys.

5. The clever and convenient designs of these transport cages.

6. A sample selection of the grooming articles used at the cat beauty center.