Transitioning into palliative care can be a stressful time, especially when it means moving far from home and loved ones.

Leaving behind pets can add to the distress.

A Tasmanian woman wanted to ease the burden by setting up a volunteer service that would transport terminally ill people's pets to be with them in hospital.

Kimberly Elford, who runs a pet taxi service, was recently asked to drive two dogs from Wynyard in northern Tasmania to Hobart, where their owner was in palliative care.

It was about a four-hour drive.

"I refunded their money and asked if they needed the dogs minded while they were here," she said.

"I was happy to do so and I did."

The experience prompted Ms Elford to give a lot more thought to the needs of patients in end-of-life care.

"I couldn't stop thinking about it, about how many people may need a service like this," she said.

"It was a terribly sad situation and I just thought, how can we help?"

Ms Elford decided she would set up a free service.

She put a callout on her Facebook page asking for volunteers and was overwhelmed by the response.

"I have had close to 500 people contact me to offer all kinds of assistance," she said.

"I think it has gone pretty much viral in Tasmania."

The post has been shared nearly 700 times and people have offered lifts for pets from all over the state.

Others have offered to provide meals to drivers en route.

Pet time alleviates stress and concern

Janine Cornish was among those who offered to drive pets from remote parts of the state to be with their owners.

"My dad recently passed away and his cat was with him most of the journey," she said.

A volunteer who has offered to collect pets and deliver them to palliative care patients in Hobart ( ABC News: Rhiannon Shine )

"Having them together was very important to him, and he would stress if he was in hospital without the cat.

"It is helpful for them and helpful for the animal because both get really stressed [when separated].

"The bond between humans and animals is pretty awesome and if I can help out a little bit I am super happy to do so."

Palliative Care Tasmania general manager Colleen Johnstone said pets were an important part of end-of-life care.

"[Being away for their animals] can really add to a person's stress," she said.

"Pets are often the only companions that people might have, particularly elderly people who their spouse may have already died."

Ms Johnstone said patients fretted over the welfare of the pets after they died and wanted their animals close in their final moments.

"So the types of services that can provide support [like] transporting pets to hospitals, palliative care units, can really alleviate a lot of stress and provide that level of mental and emotional support," she said.