After a year of anticipation, my special friend flew from the USA to China to come live with me. He is handsome, loyal, never argues and is always there when I need him. Unfortunately, he is also a “free loader” and expects me to clean up after him and feed him all his meals. You may have guessed by now I am referring to my dog, although this may certainly describe some men (or ladies). 😉
Ever wonder what the best pet-friendly restaurants are in Shanghai? I’m not only asking the dog people. Just yesterday, I saw a couple in a cafe with a dog in the man’s lap and cat in the woman’s lap. Here in Shanghai, you will see everything from parrots in fur coats on mopeds to giant rabbits tucked up in strollers.
So, if your gecko has been asking for a candlelit dinner, there is certainly a place for you in Shanghai.
My special friend Rocky loves some of the nearby bars and restaurants. The cats keep him entertained in Cotton’s on Anting Lu. Jenny always greets Rocky with a hug in Jenny’s Blue Bar on Donghu Lu. The guys and girls in both Daga establishments (Fuxing Lu and Tai’an Lu) are very hospitable to our furry quadruped friends. Lastly, Seamus & friends in Uptown Records’n Beer combine good music with a great doggy welcome on Yongfu Lu.
As well as the dog-friendly restaurants here in Shanghai (check the excellent ‘Bon App!’ app for other recommendations), there are also pet walks, BBQ’s, food preparation courses and doggy dinner deals, where your pet can come and get a gourmet meal alongside you. Keep an eye on the Shanghai websites and magazines as well as ‘Vegans of Shanghai’ and ‘Joy Eat’; both on WeChat.
You can even ask an animal nutritionist what to feed your best buddy, in case you’ve been wondering why your dog’s coat isn’t as shiny as your gold Mobike . I don’t specialize in animal nutrition but thankfully I found some people who do…
Pawsome was founded by Franziska Gloeckner and Karolina Weiss (licensed animal nutritionist) as a response to the growing concerns about what goes into commercial, highly processed pet food as well as concerns about fake food on the market in China.
“Observing our own pets growing up overseas, we realized that fresh, species appropriate nutrition actually helps our pets to thrive and not just to survive We believe that nutrition plays a major role in health maintenance and disease prevention in animals, hence we aim to develop pet food that is made of fresh and whole ingredients rather than highly processed, artificially flavored and chemically preserved foods. Dogs and cats process foods differently from each other and also differently from humans. At Pawsome we recognize these species-specific nutritional specialties of dogs and cats and create products that meet those needs.
In our recipes we use imported as well as local, human grade ingredients. Appropriate nutrition is not a cure but a valuable support for health maintenance and improvement, hence we offer standard nutritious meals as well as customized meal options for several special needs cases.”
So – if you’re thinking of bringing your four-legged friends to Shanghai, rest assured that there will be a welcome here for them!
Until the next time – Eat Well Shanghai! – Jessica W. 😉
