On a sweltering summer day, Jin Da'ao, a post-95s pet finder, crouched down in a high-rise building, carefully searching for cat footprints and fur with a powerful flashlight, soon becoming drenched in sweat.
The photo shows Jin Da'ao preparing a drone. (Photo by Zhou Yimin)
The cat, named Xiaoju, had been missing for two days. Its owner, Wang Wenjing, anxiously sought help from Jin Da'ao's team. "We first analyzed the cat's habits based on the owner's description and determined a 'step-by-step' search plan, 'scanning' every floor and every corner of the building," Jin Da'ao told China News Network. Two hours later, the team finally found Xiaoju on the 28th floor.
In recent years, the number of pets in China has been increasing year by year. Data from the "2023-2024 China Pet Industry White Paper (Consumer Report)" shows that in 2023, the number of pet dogs in China reached 51.75 million, and the number of pet cats reached 69.8 million. The industry predicts that the scale of China's pet economy is expected to exceed 800 billion yuan by 2025. To meet diversified needs, the pet service industry is constantly being segmented, with pet finders being one such segment.
"High-powered flashlights, thermal imaging night vision devices, and drones are all essential equipment. Within the 72-hour 'golden period' after a pet goes missing, the success rate of finding it is about 80%. Fallen fur, footprints, and nearby excrement are all important pieces of information pointing to the pet's location," said Jin Da'ao. This requires pet finders to be patient and meticulous, and even to lie motionless in the grass for hours.
According to Jin Da'ao, high-tech equipment is a "secret weapon," but the accumulation of experience is even more crucial. "When outdoors, we use drones to roughly locate the area and mark it on the search map at the same time. I need to mark the searched areas, the density of the forest, and the number of obstructions. This information is shared in a timely manner within the team, thereby improving search efficiency."
In fact, different pets are found in very different ways. "Cats usually get lost within 1 kilometer of their home, while dogs usually run much farther," Jin Da'ao said with a laugh. Cats, after getting lost, often hide in secluded corners near their owners' homes and are more likely to be frightened by loud calls. In contrast, dogs may run away due to stress and excitement.
The photo shows team members searching for pets outdoors. (Photo by Jin Da'ao)
Jin Da'ao's previous orders included not only cats and dogs, but also parrots and hamsters. In Jin Da'ao's view, pets don't discriminate by species; he will try his best to get one. "Every pet is unique to its owner, and the grief of losing one is universal."
Jin Da'ao told reporters that the process of finding a pet is like playing hide-and-seek with it. "Pets can appear in all sorts of places: sewers, ventilation ducts, drawers, and even inside washing machines. Some pets look completely innocent and have no idea where they've wandered off to; others seem to have had enough fun and have run wildly for over ten kilometers. This requires the person searching for the pet to be able to react flexibly."
“Actually, parrots and huskies are the hardest to find. I usually use the birds’ high body temperature by using drones equipped with thermal imaging equipment for aerial scanning, but the success rate is relatively low,” Jin Da’ao admitted. He added that the “randomness” of husky disappearances is too great to predict. Previously, Jin Da’ao received an urgent request from Kaifeng, Henan, for a lost husky. “This mission was particularly challenging. The team searched almost half the city, tracking it for nearly 70 kilometers at its furthest point. We started from the outer ring road of Kaifeng and searched tirelessly along the national highway, finally finding the exhausted husky on the outermost edge of the city.”
“I personally enjoy keeping cats and dogs, so I can deeply understand the feelings of pets losing their owners. I heard about Sun Jinrong’s pet rescue team in Shanghai, which greatly inspired me, and I decided to pursue this career,” said Jin Da’ao. He explained that he underwent systematic training in Shanghai and subsequently established his own professional pet-finding team in Xi’an. “Actually, my income is not stable and varies depending on the season, ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of yuan per month. For disabled people who need assistance, the team can provide services at half price or even for free.”
For the past six years, Jin Da'ao has witnessed countless touching scenes of owners and pets reuniting, with owners often shedding tears when they find their beloved pets. Jin Da'ao says, "What we are looking for is not only animals, but also the inseparable love between people and animals."
