The existing dog parking area in Shanghai's Xuhui Riverside has caused controversy. Pet-friendly facilities need to balance safety and practicality

In November 2024, a special pet facility in Xuhui Binjiang, Shanghai triggered heated discussions on social platforms. A netizen posted that he had found a special "dog parking area" here. The picture of the facility received 19,000 likes and more than 5,500 comments. Discussions on "pet-friendly environment construction" and "practical facilities" quickly fermented.
During an on-site visit, the reporter found that the "dog parking area" mentioned by netizens was actually a temporary storage device for pets set up by businesses. Outside the "Tagi" shop at No. 2266 Longteng Avenue, the red apple-shaped facility is equipped with three bone-shaped dog handles. The clerk said that the device has existed since the store opened in August this year. The original intention was to facilitate customers to temporarily tie their pet leashes. The original feeding basin has been removed due to damage. It is worth noting that the words "dog parking place" and "dog position No. 1" in the pictures posted online were artificially added, and the facility itself has no such signs.
This kind of pet-friendly facility is not unique in Xuhui Riverside. The outdoor area of ​​the "M Stand" boutique coffee shop is equipped with pet water basins, food bowls and tether hoops; many businesses in West Bank Central have installed leash hooks near the seats, and Unir Coffee also provides special drinking equipment for pets. Merchants said that these facilities are set up to implement the concept of pet-friendly and create a harmonious commercial space for humans and pets.
However, pet-owning citizens have divided attitudes towards such facilities. Citizen Mr. Li believes that the facility has a good intention, but it only uses the tether function and has doubts about the hygienic condition of the public food bowls. Ms. Wang, a dog walker, is worried about problems caused by differences in pet personalities: "Sensitive dogs are prone to stress and fights. My puppy has separation anxiety and must not be allowed out of sight." Another pet owner said frankly that pets will not be allowed to use facilities alone. "Getting along in a group of dogs requires human intervention, and leaving them unattended may cause conflicts or get lost."
Wang Jialiang, a dog breeding expert and chairman of Jialiang Dog Industry, has reservations about the "dog parking area". He stressed: "It is feasible to use facilities with owners accompanying them, but it is neither responsible nor safe to tie pets alone. Dogs separated from their owners can easily cause psychological stress and may engage in extreme behaviors, which not only harms the pet's mental health, but also risks injuring people." He suggested that if businesses want to provide foster care services, they can set up independent locked dog houses and use pets' territorial awareness to enhance their sense of security.
In fact, the construction of public pet facilities is being explored both at home and abroad. The city of Bellevue in the United States will launch a "pop-up off-leash dog walking pilot program" in 2023. It will set up a temporary fenced area in the park, equipped with double gates, waste treatment facilities and feedback channels, and decide whether to convert the temporary facilities into a permanent site through community opinions. This type of pilot provides a "test first and then optimize" approach to the construction of pet facilities.
As the number of urban pet owners expands, the demand for pet-friendly facilities is growing. How to find a balance between goodwill, safety and practicality has become a topic that facility designers and managers need to think deeply about.