Regulations needed

The pet industry needs to be further regulated and establish industry standards to promote its sustainable development, Hong said. Related businesses also need to keep improving the quality of services to reflect the prices they charge, he said.

Wang Jiankun, a senior partner at Shanghai Hush Law Firm, said the pet boarding business is a civil contractual relationship between pet owners and caretakers.

Pet caretakers, as providers of the boarding services, should fulfill their obligations of proper care and custody.

He said that as consumers, pet owners should carefully select boarding services with proper qualifications that can provide suitable living spaces and facilities.

It's advisable to sign a written agreement, specifying responsibility for any problems during the boarding period, Wang added. In the event of an accident, compensation should be made according to the agreement.

For many migrant workers in big cities, taking their pets home for the Chinese New Year is often not an option due to public transportation restrictions on animals.

Even when pet transportation services are available, there is also the possibility of accidents, said Dong Wei, a senior veterinarian at a pet clinic in Beijing's Haidian district.

"This is especially true for cats, which are generally timid and are very likely to suffer a stressful response," Dong said.