SHANGHAI, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai Pudong International Airport has seen a rising number of pets entering China thanks to an eased clearance procedure starting from May 1 nationwide, according to the Shanghai customs Tuesday.
As of May 31, 311 pets had entered China via the airport, up 144 percent from the same period of last year, the customs said.
Meanwhile, two-thirds of entry pets that carry valid electronic chips, or animal quarantine certificates and rabies antibody test reports from authorized laboratories were free from isolation quarantine when passing on-site quarantine inspection at the airport.
Pets entering China through customs with pet quarantine capacity can enjoy a more convenient clearance procedure starting from May 1. Previously, all the pets had to be isolated for a quarantine of seven to 30 days.
In China, owning pets is a growing trend. The pet dog population in China reached 27.4 million in 2018, ranking third in the world after the United States and Brazil, according to official statistics.
