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Pet-mad Hong Kong takes pampering to new levels |
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HONG KONG: The latest bakery to open in one of Hong Kong's prime residential areas, Happy Valley, is perfectly positioned to catch passing trade. The gleaming counter displays mouth-watering pastries, cookies and cakes as the smell of food lovingly prepared by resident chef David wafts from the giant ovens into the street. But the target customers of this particular bakery, even the biggest, cannot always see the goodies on the shelves, although their barking indicates they can definitely smell them. Three Dog Bakery is the latest effort to provide a further level of pampering for Hong Kong's four-legged friends in this pet-mad city. Most of Hong Kong's seven million people live in tiny cramped apartments and dogs are banned from many city parks, but, nevertheless, the animals |
have become a must-have accessory and are treated accordingly. "People consider their dogs as an extra member of the family," said Brent Earles, general manager of Three Dog Bakery, which is an international franchise based in the US. "If your dog is your companion or surrogate child, there are people who will go and spend a lot of money on their dogs." The range of options is endless. Around Hong Kong, dogs are dressed in elaborate costumes, expensive collars and even pushed around in strollers if walking gets a bit too much for them. Every week, television programmes show elaborate and expensive ways to spoil dogs - and this is where Three Dog Bakery comes in with its extensive range of exclusive items ranging from US$350 (US$1 = RM3.30) blankets to fluffy toys shaped like expensive shoes and embossed with the names "Jimmy Chew" and "Vera Wag". |
"I have to laugh sometimes; they are ridiculous items for pets. There is a certain whimsy about the whole thing, but we do it for the love of animals," said Earles. Owners of the new Three Dogs Bakery are hoping to repeat here the phenomenal success of their outlets in Japan. The chain now has eight stores in Japan, having opened its first eight years ago, and Japanese dog owners and their pets regularly queue outside them. Clement Lo, who runs the Three Dog Bakery here, expects a similar impact. He is opening a second store in the territory at the same time and believes the city's 200,000 registered "loved ones" will create enough of a market for five. - AFP
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