Pet owners gear up their dogs and cats for summer

Pet owner Mi Jiayi walks her dog Mary in a cooling vest on a summer day in Shanghai, China July 19, 2023. REUTERS/Nicoco Chan

SHANGHAI: As temperatures in China soar, pet owners are looking for novel ways to protect their four-legged friends from the heat, buying up cooling mats, clothes and miniature sun hats for dogs and cats.

Mi Jiayi, a public relations professional in Shanghai, spent more than 500 yuan (RM317) on a cooling vest for Mary, a small mixed-breed dog that she adopted. To use it, she first dips it in water before wringing it out.