2017年CRI Holiday trips boost pet economy（在线收听）

Travelling with your pets can be time-consuming and expensive, but people like Catherine Zhao say their pets are not just animals, and leaving them behind is out of the question.

"It's a rather natural thing for me, to just include the dogs wherever we go."

Pet relocation services are often costly.

As such, more educated pet owners areable to save a lot of money by just going through the process themselves.

"Services would have at least cost over 10,000 yuan. We thought we could do it more cheaply ourselves and it turned out we could. For us to do it, it cost under 3,000. But then again that we had the time, we have planned ahead. And I'm sure if you're running out of time or like you just were busy with other things, then, of course, I can see that they could be very helpful for you."

For those determined to take their pets with them when they travel, experts are recommending they become educated.

Mary Peng, founder of Beijing-based International Center for Veterinary Services, says they hold monthly workshops to try to train people how to travel with their animals.

"Families that, until they found us, until they came to attend the sessions, they may have not considered taking their pets with them because they heard so much information of the complexity or they were so intimidated by the potential cost. And what's really rewarding, I think, is that we see the number of animals that do go on to travel with their families to their next destination countries has been increasing over the last 10 years."

Pets often require more documentation for international travel than humans, including proof of vaccination, health certificates, and government-issued documents of approval.

Countries in the European Union, New Zealand, and Australia are among the most strict when it comes to bringing in animals.

For CRI, this is Jessica Luo.