A man kisses his pet cat at a pet cat exposition in Shenyang, northeast China’s Liaoning Province, Aug. 20, 2016. (Xinhua/Huang Jinkun)

TIANJIN (July 30): The soft click of the door closing behind the pet hospice carer signals the start of a sacred vigil. In the cocoon of shared silence, a trembling hand meets the coarse warmth of fading fur, bearing the profound weight of existence itself.

It is the time for a human to bid farewell to his or her furry friend, one last time.

In China, a generation is rewriting the final chapter with their pets, trading futile extensions of life for the quiet courage of loving release.

THE QUIET ART OF SAYING GOODBYE