Celebrating its fifth run this year, the Shanghai International Dog Expo has rebranded itself as a full-on Pet Expo and is the biggest show yet. Spanning over four exhibition halls, it covers a total of 25,000sqm and promises a livelier atmosphere and of course plenty of pet-related ridiculousness.
150 popular brands from nine countries have set up booths at the exhibition, ranging from food to new apps for your pets. The event features a bevy of activities that keep both the audience and their pets entertained.
Stepping in, we see a quiz show where pet owners compete to answer questions to win bags of pet food. People gathered around too to watch the intense grooming qualification test, championship dog show and dog race.
Don't miss the photo booth, where people get to print pictures with their pets for free. Lovable as they are, most of the pets are still canines, with cats being sadly underrepresented. For an 'International Pet Expo', there are fewer varieties of pets than you might expect.
The atmosphere on our Thursday visit was rather subdued, but expect things to pick up this weekend. If you imagined a kingdom of cute fluffy animals it might be a good idea to slightly lower your expectations. Still, seeing the animals would no doubt still bring a smile to your face and it's a great place for pet owners and their pets to mingle.
Shanghai International Pet Expo 2016 runs until Sunday 20 March at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Centre. Admission 50RMB.