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What my hedgehog tells us about Hong Kong’s pet obsession
The booming industry has defied China’s economic slowdown as the younger generation turns to animals.
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Although selling and buying hedgehogs is illegal in Hong Kong, at least 13 pet hedgehogs were abandoned in August alone in 2023.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: PEXELS
Chan Ho-him
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I often seek solace in my adopted African pygmy hedgehog after a long day of attending events, meeting people and writing articles on a tight deadline. Before rescuing her from an animal centre, I had never imagined caring for a pet in Hong Kong. But I’m not alone.
The population of cats and dogs in Hong Kong jumped to 584,400 in 2023, from 549,100 in 2018, according to market research provider Euromonitor International, while in Singapore it grew nearly 8 per cent to 207,400.
