6 totally absurd pet indulgences

Asian city life has never really embraced the notion of pet ownership, but times are a-changing. Landlords have loosened up. Career-minded singles and empty nesters are hungry for companionship. The upshot: a market of pet indulgences that make Paris Hilton’s pups look like paupers.

1. Autoelex Pet House for the hypochondriac pet pamperer - South Korea

Hypochondriac cat and dog owners, rejoice. The US$10,000 Pet House, offered by Korean company Autoelex, lets you micro-manage your pet’s living environment from a computer. Little Basil’s got the sniffles? Just switch on the carbon filter-based deodorizing and antibiotic air.

2. Stick needles in your pet at 5 Elements Veterinary Acupuncture - Hong Kong

Sticking pins in your puppy sounds like a PETA no-no. But the Chinese have sworn by acupuncture for centuries, and many vets claim the results are astonishing. Hong Kong has a clinic devoted entirely to stimulating your pet’s qi. (G/F, shop B, Wilson Court Tin Hau Pet Hospital, 41 King’s Road, Tin Hau, Hong Kong, tel: +852 2104 233)

3. Pet Safari’s street styled designer pet clothes - Singapore

Asia’s pet outfits mimic trendy street style -- from US$150 Lolita lace dresses to the strawberry bonnets for cats. Singapore’s Pet Safari has an outrageous selection (Hello Kitty hat, anyone?) (No. 3, Simei Street 6, #01-06 Eastpoint Mall, Singapore, tel: +65 6788 1016)

4. Drool over the same food at Deco’s Dog Cafe - Tokyo, Japan

In a Japanese dog café, you don’t just share a table with your snuggins. You also eat the same food. Fortunately, the meals are all-natural -- such as rolled chicken with cheese and veggies -- and include the calorie count. Birthday pups receive a meat cake topped with a bone-biscuit. (Chofu 2-62-1, Den-en-Chofu, Tokyo, Japan, tel: +03 3722 5033)

5. First there was “rent-a-bride” now there’s Pet Rentals - Shanghai, China

Too busy to raise a dog? Shanghai professionals get their fix by renting a four-legged friend for US$25-63 a day, plus a contract and deposit at Pet Rentals in Shanghai. (12 Quan Kou Road, Changning district, Shanghai, China, tel: +021 3208 7757)

6. Send grandpa Spot off to the home -- the Soladi Care Home - Tochigi, Japan

Japanese owners shell out US$800 a month to board their dogs at the world’s first pet care home. In-house vets offer round-the-clock monitoring, and a team of puppies help the old folks feel young again. (40-23 Shinnan Nasushiobara-shi, Tochigi, Japan, tel: +0287 46 4150)