If you're going on holiday and can't find a friend to look after your cat or dog, there is an alternative - you can leave your pet in the care of people who love animals as much as you do.
'I spent three years on a farm growing up in Canada. I have always loved animals: dogs, cats, horses, rabbits,' says Cara Ng, who, with her husband Andrew, runs DB Dog Dayz, a boarding home for canines.
'Andrew grew up very differently, in government housing in Sham Shui Po, and never had a pet of any kind. When we moved to Discovery Bay, the first thing he said was, 'now I can have a dog.''
At first, Ng was able to find relatives to come and look after Whiskey when they were away, but later found there were others who needed pet sitters.
'Andrew initially offered house-sitting, where he would go and stay in the client's home and take care of their dogs. However, it didn't work for us, so we started having dogs come to stay in our home instead.
'We require every dog and owner to make a preliminary visit,' Ng explains. 'This is so the owner can assess whether they are happy with the environment, but also so we can see how the dog reacts to the pack and vice versa.