Transporting pets is a tech-intensive and trust-centric business for Petlift, a vehicle transport company.

After two years of development, the company launched its first self-operated pet transportation last June, expanding to over 200 customized vans in place now.

The company has quickly become a key player in the pet transportation industry with innovative logistics and customer-oriented services.

Co-founder Wang Jingjing said the mission of the company is creating "a new species in terms of transportation of pets".

Petlift is harnessing new technology to make the process transparent for pet owners. Its founders are also pet owners and were primarily involved with internet companies previously.

For example, customers can now track their pets from pickup to delivery, ensuring peace of mind during their journey. Each van is carefully designed to accommodate a maximum of eight orders of pets and is equipped with advanced features, including camera monitors and 360-degree surveillance, remotely accessible by pet owners.

Understanding the emotional needs of pets, Petlift offers a journey experience that mimics the comfort of home.

"We hope to ensure that cats and dogs feel like they're being fostered, not just transported," Wang said. To enhance this fostering experience, each van includes amenities such as cat food containers, culinary tools, cooling pads for summer and cotton warm pads for winter. Toys and calming sprays are also available to reduce anxiety during travel.

Adding to the unique service is the appointment of a pet "butler" for each journey. These dedicated staff members update pet status at least every four hours, addressing the limitations of traditional pet transportation, which typically involves only a driver.

"Delivery of pets is essentially like putting your children in a stranger's hands," Wang said, highlighting the importance of trust in ensuring the safety and comfort of pets during transit.

The demand for specialized pet transportation services is soaring in China, fueled by the number of pet populations. According to the 2025 China Pet Industry White Book, last year, 18.7 percent of pet owners spent on pet travel, up 4.9 percent from 2023. However, 28.3 percent of pet owners find bringing their pets on the road challenging.

In China, transporting pets by train and plane remains challenging. Since last year, many airlines have rolled out pet on-plane services. Last year, Capital Airlines introduced a pet accompany service, with 1,399 yuan ($191) per pet with no seat and 1,599 yuan for a seat. Last year, the country's first pet lounge was set up in Shenzhen Airport, Guangdong province.

Last Thursday, the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway began to offer such services. The price of transport for a distance beyond 2,000 kilometers is about 860 yuan per pet.

Pricing for Petlift's services is still quite costly, with a single trip averaging 1,300 yuan based on distance and the size of the pet. For instance, transporting a pet from Beijing to Shanghai costs around 1,280 yuan, inclusive of insurance. However, the feedback from the users has been positive. Repeat purchases and referrals account for an impressive 65 percent of the company's business, signaling strong customer satisfaction and loyalty, said Wang.

Looking ahead, Petlift is in discussions with prospective investors to further scale up and optimize its operations. According to Petlift's estimates, the potential market size for pet transportation in China is at least 17 billion yuan a year.

Currently, Wang said funds will be allocated to building transit stations and acquiring value-for-money vans, with an emphasis on creating dedicated spaces for pets. She added said the company plans to increase its current fleet from more than 200 to 600 vehicles by the end of the year.

"We insist on a direct operation model across our entire operational chains to ensure a trustworthy experience for our customers," Wang said.