Chinanews, Beijing, Nov. 2 – The first standard for pet dog clothes, a regulation made by the China Association for Clothes Standardization, was formally implemented on Thursday, the Beijing News reported.

The regulation specifies some of the criteria that pet clothes should meet, including the raw materials used, the shrinking range, the durability, and the trademarks usage. However, in Nanjing and Chengdu, this reporter learned that many pet clothes shop owners and pet owners had never heard of such regulation. Nor do they know who should supervise the implementation of the regulation.

The new regulation was made for two purposes: to regulate the market and to benefit the pets, said Xu Jian, secretary-general of the China Association for Clothes Standardization.  

On Wednesday, visits to several shops that sold pet goods and found that most of the pet clothes sold in the market could hardly meet the new standard. Many shop owners said they had never heard of such regulation. Some even scorned the regulation.

Some industrial analysts also raise their doubt about the regulation. They say that dogs might feel uncomfortable if they move around with clothes on. Dogs have their own hair which can keep them warm. If they wear clothes, it might undermine their ability to resist the cold in natural environment in future.