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Agence France-Presse

A fluffy white cat in a yellow dress perched on the top of a Bangkok cinema seat while, nearby, a Chihuahua in a Sebastian the Crab costume geared up to watch Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ with their owner.
One terrier even channelled Ariel in a red wig and mermaid’s tail.
They were among dozens of four-legged film-goers that arrived in strollers Saturday for the opening of Thailand’s first pet-friendly cinema on the fringes of the capital.
The country’s pet industry is considered the second-biggest in Asia, behind China’s, with some 8.3 million dogs and 3.7 million cats in 2021, according to industry data.

Pet ownership grew further during the coronavirus pandemic, and now some businesses are trying to cash in.
Mano, 37, had brought his rescue cat, Kati, to the cinema.
“We take him to work sometimes … today is like an experiment,” he told AFP.
“We are seeing ‘The Little Mermaid’. He will enjoy seeing all the fish on the screen.”
The animals had to wear diapers and sit in bags while the sound and lighting were adjusted for their comfort, Major Cineplex spokesman Narute Jiensnong said.
“Bangkok is not a very pet-friendly city,” Narute told AFP, adding that the concept built on their child-friendly theatres.
South Korean man who had 1,000 dogs at home suspected of animal abuse
Narute noted some pets acquired during the pandemic suffer separation anxiety now that owners are no longer working from home or in lockdown.
“In the kid cinemas, kids will be running around screaming or shouting … I think pet cinema will be the same. Everyone who comes will own a pet and be understanding (if dogs bark),” he said.
It is not the only business opening its doors to furry visitors.
Earlier this month, Swedish furniture giant Ikea announced that small dogs and cats were welcome to visit its Thailand stores, as long as they sit in prams.


Outside the cinema, there were howls of disappointment as a 62kg Alaskan malamute named Tungchae – who arrived in a 1.5-square-metre dog trolley equipped with a fan – was considered too big to enter.
Despite the cinemas’ animal welfare safeguards, not all pet owners were thrilled about the idea.
One long-time Bangkok expat said that, while her cat frequently falls asleep beside her on the couch watching TV at home, she would never take her pet to the cinema and thinks the concept is “unnatural” and “torture”.
“Being zipped up in this cage, I don’t know if that’s enjoyable for the animal,” she told AFP.
“It’s so ridiculous dogs are not allowed in (most Bangkok) parks but they can go to a movie or cafe. What comes next, you bring your dog or cat to a massage parlour?”


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Thailand

Thailand’s first pet-friendly cinema opens to four-legged film-goers

A man and his dog wait inside a movie theatre to watch a movie during the opening day of the pet friendly theatre ‘i-Tail Pet Cinema’ at Mega Cineplex in Thailand. Photo: EPA-EFE

Thailand’s pet industry is considered the second-biggest in Asia, behind China’s, with some 8.3 million dogs and 3.7 million cats in 2021, according to industry data. Photo: EPA-EFE

Malaysian animal activists unleash fury towards dogcatchers’ ‘repulsive’ methods

A market research survey in 2019 found that there were 6 million dogs in Malaysia, with only 398,000 registered as pets. Photo: Shutterstock 

Dogs in Malaysia must be registered with local authorities or they will be considered strays when they venture off private property. Photo: Shutterstock 

A rickshaw driver transports dogs in Penang, Malaysia. Dogcatchers in Malaysia have a reputation for targeting pets instead of strays. Photo: Shutterstock 

A stray dog eats from the garbage at a roadside in Negeri Sembilan state. Malaysia’s stray dogs sometimes chase children and food delivery people, or maul pet cats. Photo: AFP

Japan’s Niigata Prefecture declares war on ‘ferocious’ raccoons as critters destroy crops, buildings

Niigata has seen a sharp increase in raccoon captures in recent years. Photo: EPA-EFE

Imports of juvenile raccoons to Japan began soon after the first “Rascal the Raccoon” cartoon was aired on Japanese television in 1977. Photo: AFP

Raccoons destroy crops, damage buildings and infrastructure and endanger native species. Photo: EPA-EFE

Japan’s native ‘tanuki’ raccoon dog naturally lack aggression and cannot compete with other creatures that invade their space. Photo: TNS

Pet project: Would you get an implanted microchip used for pets to replace Covid tracking apps?

Neil Newman’s pup, Totti, who has been microchipped.
Photo: Neil Newman

A vet holds a  micro-chip identity tag which can be inserted under the skin of a dog or cat’s neck.
Photo by Reuters

Micro-chipped pets are scanned when arriving in Britain from France. Photo: Reuters

South Korea’s pet owners put on alert after cats cause 107 house fires in 3 years

Cats were blamed for starting 107 house fires in Seoul over the past three years, leaving four people injured and causing some US$118,500 worth of damage. Photo: Shutterstock

Electric hobs often feature touch-sensitive buttons that can be inadvertently pressed by curious cats that are left home alone. Photo: Nora Tam

News

Asia

Southeast Asia

Businesses are trying to cash in on Thailand’s pet industry, which is considered the second-biggest in Asia behind China’s
Earlier this month, Swedish furniture giant Ikea announced that small dogs and cats were welcome to visit its Thailand stores, as long as they sit in prams.


Businesses are trying to cash in on Thailand’s pet industry, which is considered the second-biggest in Asia behind China’s.


Cinema

Pets

Asian cinema

Animals

Thailand’s first pet-friendly cinema opens to four-legged film-goers

Businesses are trying to cash in on Thailand’s pet industry, which is considered the second-biggest in Asia behind China’s Earlier this month, Swedish furniture giant Ikea announced that small dogs and cats were welcome to visit its Thailand stores, as long as they sit in prams.

Businesses are trying to cash in on Thailand’s pet industry, which is considered the second-biggest in Asia behind China’s

Earlier this month, Swedish furniture giant Ikea announced that small dogs and cats were welcome to visit its Thailand stores, as long as they sit in prams.