Pampering pets

His first case was to find a cat, and the only equipment he had was a flashlight.

"I scoured the neighborhood and managed to find the cat in the bushes behind the owner's home, but the biggest problem was I didn't know how to catch him. I had no experience or tools back then. I didn't know much about this job. I was still exploring," he said.

After his first try, Liu began to do lots of research on the habits of cats and dogs and every time after a search, he summarized where he would improve and what equipment he could use.

However, the low volume of requests and the low income as a result prompted Liu to consider quitting. "But I still received phone calls from owners who had lost their pets. They cried and told me their stories with their pets and what their pets meant to them. It was very touching so I felt I should keep going," he said.

A turning point came in 2018 with the rise of short video platforms. That year, Liu started an account on Douyin, posting videos of his work and it soon garnered popularity. He now has over 100,000 followers on the social media platform and an increasing number of people have approached him for help.

Consequently, the average number of requests for his services has reached around 30 a month, sometimes more than 40.

In addition to the help from social media, Liu said the growth was also the result of a shift in people's perception toward pets.

"People's living standards have improved and they treat their pets as their family members, not just a pet," he said.