Help! Animal Courier has lost my piggie! :(

Status
Not open for further replies.
Hi guys,
Unfortunately no. She isn't home yet and probably won't be until early next week :( I've been going out of my mind with worry and last night gave myself a migraine.
At first the courier refused FLAT OUT to return her to me because of "slander" issues! They didn't close the box properly and my little girl got loose!
Whatever the "slander" issues were that has been sorted and I should hear back today when they will be bringing her home. These people are disgusting.
Please never use an animal courier :(

I was wondering if there was any chance of creating a sticky somewhere about the use of animal couriers. I really was under the impression that they would be fantastic and I just want to warn other people in case they are as naive as I was :(
 
I don't understand this at all. Surely a courier company cannot threaten to retain a live animal for any reason whatsoever. A package maybe, they could stick it on a shelf until whatever the perceived problem was got resolved. But an animal needs 24 hour care - who is looking after her, where is she? It all seems very strange.
 
Sue G said:
I don't understand this at all. Surely a courier company cannot threaten to retain a live animal for any reason whatsoever. A package maybe, they could stick it on a shelf until whatever the perceived problem was got resolved. But an animal needs 24 hour care - who is looking after her, where is she? It all seems very strange.
Click to expand...


I know, isn't it ridiculous?! I feel like I should contact some authority about it but I'm not sure who to contact and I want to make sure she gets here first before doing anything. I don't trust that she'll make it here otherwise. :( :)>>>
 
Ridiculous! Poor animal! Where on earth is it being kept? Poor dear could be in a 1 ft box being fed hamster food! They are very unprofessional
 
Someone FINALLY got back to me. My lost little girl will be home next week.
They are implying that she chewed her way out of the box but I have it here and there aren't any chew marks.
Either way she is safe and has unlimited hay and water. I just can't wait to have her here safe and sound.
 
Well, I'm glad you've spoken to someone who has reassured you, but I still am bemused. Why can't they get her back to you immediately instead of keeping her a week? Has she only got hay to eat and nothing else? I hope they haven't got her in a box for the duration. Once you have her safely home, I think you need to ask a lot of questions, and take it further.
 
Glad she is safe. I bet you will be soooo relieved when she is home with you. I aree with sue g ... i think deffo you should take it further when she is safe home with you! Anyway I'm so pleased she is safe :)
 
Oh don't you worry I am going to be going much further! For the sake of her safety I'm going to wait until she is home first though. If the courier already wanted to refuse bringing her back before then its better to not say anything until she is safe.

The reason that they "can't" return her immediately is because they are now doing runs from Germany. If I could drive myself I'd go and get her (she's being kept in Kent I believe in a pet store type cage -not ideal but better than a box!) Since I can't drive and my OH is off at an exhibition. I've just got to sit tight and wait.

I'm going to take her to the vet immediately after she gets here just to make sure she's OK.
 
Jangopop said:
Hi guys,
Unfortunately no. She isn't home yet and probably won't be until early next week :( I've been going out of my mind with worry and last night gave myself a migraine.
At first the courier refused FLAT OUT to return her to me because of "slander" issues! They didn't close the box properly and my little girl got loose!
Whatever the "slander" issues were that has been sorted and I should hear back today when they will be bringing her home. These people are disgusting.
Please never use an animal courier :(

I was wondering if there was any chance of creating a sticky somewhere about the use of animal couriers. I really was under the impression that they would be fantastic and I just want to warn other people in case they are as naive as I was :(
Click to expand...

Please don't tar all couriers with the same brush...I know exactly which one you have used and he has been getting a number of complaints over the last few months, I know for a fact that this isn't the first time this has happened...however there are some fantastic animal couriers out there who do check the animals every time they stop, make sure they've all got food and water, and that they're all in the correct boxes. This particular courier has gone down hill very quickly recently, and I don't think the person you had the pigs from realised that this was the case as he has been very good up until this year.
 
I am pleased that she is safe and is being looked after. It will be even better when she is home safe with you.

It sounds like you have just been VERY unlucky with this particular courier so as soon as your piggy is home safe with you, please make sure you kick up the biggest fuss ever. The more people who complain, this man will hopefully be out. At the end of the day, he was responsible for the welfare of your guinea pig and in the eyes of the law, he was breaking the rules of the animal welfare act!
 
So pleased she's ok - bet she'll be getting rather a lot of attention when she finally reaches home rolleyes
I've never heard of animal couriers and am shocked to the core to read your heart breaking story - as someone pointed out previously, the Piggy Bank members are more than willing to collect and safely 'deliver' (and be in great hands en route) We have done a few runs, the furthest to date was from the Midlands up to Newcastle to take a little boar to his new home. 10 hour drive there and back but worth every minute :)
Lots of cuddles from us to your little one when you finally get her - we need pigtures too :)
Have you got a name for the wee one yet ?
x
 
P.s I forgot to say, seen as he said she had chewed her way out of the box, make sure you take photo's of the box as evidence.

It makes you wonder what happens to the rest of the animals who are in his care :(
 
Squidge said:
Please don't tar all couriers with the same brush...I know exactly which one you have used and he has been getting a number of complaints over the last few months, I know for a fact that this isn't the first time this has happened...however there are some fantastic animal couriers out there who do check the animals every time they stop, make sure they've all got food and water, and that they're all in the correct boxes. This particular courier has gone down hill very quickly recently, and I don't think the person you had the pigs from realised that this was the case as he has been very good up until this year.
Click to expand...

Hi Squidge.
The courier I really wanted to use aren't offering the service of small animals anymore (they looked incredibly professional) and while I know that they won't all the be the same (I was over generalising - I do apologise) I still think that people should be aware of this particular courier at least. People don't pay for a service to have their precious animals lost and then have practically no updates or communication on the matter. I know there will always be hiccups and everyone makes mistakes but if they had gotten back to me immediately and kept me updated I wouldn't have been driven so out of my mind with worry. They could have made a bad situation a whole lot better had they just made the effort to talk to me.

And I was also under the impression that this particular courier was going to be wonderful. I read some A+ reviews and saw lots of great feedback which is why I don't want other people to make the same mistake. I wonder why they have gone so downhill :(
 
Yeah, he was really good, no one had said a bad word about him until this last year - he's taken money for animals and then not turned up to collect them, telling the person who was having them that the person he was collecting from wasn't in when he arrived...which they were as they'd stayed in all day especially for him. He lots another guinea pig a couple of months ago and accused the lady who sold them that she hadn't put them all in the box...it was found running loose around the back of his van because the lady who was having them made him take everything out of the van. He's just generally been rude and abrasive to people, and when confronted about the events above he told one of the people involved to 'shut up you stupid woman'...if you want to complain then contact Defra, as they're the one's who deal with this.

Simon Fox is a very highly rated courier - he's on fb if anyone needs the use of one, I've only heard good things about him - and I think either he or his partner have guinea pigs as well, so he is familiar with their care.
 
I struggle to believe that you're advocating the use of animal couriers, especially after the issues raised in this thread. It would seem that the courier used had a "good reutation" so I hate to think how the bad ones act. I just fail to understand how anyone who professes to care about animals would be comfortable using essentially, a mailing service to send live animals. I'd like to think that people on here care enough to find other ways and means of transporting animals, but I guess not everyone is quite as they seem.
 
I have used animal couriers, and I used the bloke in question before he went downhill. How is using an animal courier any different to putting a pig in your car? They are placed in a secure box with hay, food, veg...checked every night if they are in transit for longer than 1 day or a few hours, at which point their food is replenished and they are given water or more high water content veg, and they arrive at the new owners place. How exactly is that different to piggy trains? Lots of different species of animal are transported in this way...and I can guarantee you it is nothing like sheep or cow transits. All couriers have air con or climate control in the vehicle as well!

It is a good service for people who cannot drive or need to transport animals long distances - ie trans-continental or from one end of the UK to the other.

I would like to hear how exactly it differs to a piggy train!
 
Squidge said:
I have used animal couriers, and I used the bloke in question before he went downhill. How is using an animal courier any different to putting a pig in your car? They are placed in a secure box with hay, food, veg...checked every night if they are in transit for longer than 1 day or a few hours, at which point their food is replenished and they are given water or more high water content veg, and they arrive at the new owners place. How exactly is that different to piggy trains? Lots of different species of animal are transported in this way...and I can guarantee you it is nothing like sheep or cow transits. All couriers have air con or climate control in the vehicle as well!

It is a good service for people who cannot drive or need to transport animals long distances - ie trans-continental or from one end of the UK to the other.

I would like to hear how exactly it differs to a piggy train!
Click to expand...

Piggy trains are done for the animals benefit rather than for profit. The only money that exchanges hands, if any, is a contribution to fuel costs. They're conducted by people who genuinely care about the animals welfare and safety. If the piggy train cannot happen in what is deemed a reasonable time in one day, they are boarded overnight at an experienced owners house, not left in a vehicle over night. They may be climate controlled, but that's when the vehicle is running, not while its left overnight with the engine off.

You're right, lots of species are transported in this way...at the same time. Predators travelling with their prey. It's certainly not the way I'd like my animals to travel. How can they use their "climate control" to accommodate all the different species they may be transporting at any one time?

As for long distance, if you want an animal that badly, make the effort to go and get it yourself, or wait for sonething closer to become available. I guess that's the difference between breeding and rescuing though. People who go to rescues go with an open mind and choose an animal based on more than just a particular colour, trait or bloodline.
 
Last edited:
I agree with Amanda, obviously in this case we have a new member who was not aware of Piggie Trains and would most probably have used one otherwise.

x
 
Amanda; I really do love my animals. Please don't think otherwise - I'm sure not everyone is the same. It is just like people who buy from petshops before knowing any better. I honestly thought that the courier would be a good option since its what they do and it was supposed to be a straight forward collection. They pick them up same day and deliver to me around 5pm.
There was not any boarding, just transportation.

I wasn't aware of piggie trains at the time but of course if ever I need one that will be my first option.
 
I am obviously very naive I didn't even realise these companies existed.

What is done is done now. I really hope you get your piggie home soon xx
 
Jangopop said:
Amanda; I really do love my animals. Please don't think otherwise - I'm sure not everyone is the same. It is just like people who buy from petshops before knowing any better. I honestly thought that the courier would be a good option since its what they do and it was supposed to be a straight forward collection. They pick them up same day and deliver to me around 5pm.
There was not any boarding, just transportation.

I wasn't aware of piggie trains at the time but of course if ever I need one that will be my first option.
Click to expand...

My comments weren't directed at yourself :)
 
Oh right, sorry about that. I'd hate for people to think I'm totally ok with just shoving my animals in a box and letting someone taking them to any old place (which is what realistically happened.) :( I thought my ladies would be travelling in first class!
 
Well I think the main reason you dislike it is because it's paid for. It has nothing to do with any welfare standards as you quite clearly have absolutely no experience of using a courier, therefore any assumptions you are jumping to are exactly that...assumptions.

I would much rather an animal - regardless of species - be in one place for the duration or stay with one person, than being carted from car to car or house to house.

And if a courier cannot suitable accommodate different species then they shouldn't offer that service - ie. reptiles/snakes, etc.
 
I'll also point out that couriers are normally a last option, and that other ways of collecting the animal are usually attempted before a courier is contacted.

And to imply that I don't care for the welfare of my animals by using a courier I find highly offensive, you don't know me, don't make assumptions based upon a personal opinion of transport arrangements
 
Anyway - back to the subject of this entire thread! We need a pic of this little lady :)

Very glad she is now home safe, you don't need to justify anything - you did something many people appear to have done previously - it went horribly wrong, you learnt a lesson...

Glad your ordeal is over - what a horrible worry xx
 
Thanks PAMELAKT I was beating myself up about it.
She's not home just yet - she'll be here on Wednesday (just got the call!)
Of course I will send you all photos and update you of her condition and I'll probably book a precautionary vet visit just to get everything checked over.

Thanks for all your support <3
 
Just got the call from my OH
SHE'S HOME!
Apparently completely unphased by everything that was happening and is now nomming hay in our temp cage until I can get home! He said she is VERY friendly and doesn't look underweight or anything. What a RELIEF! It was a different driver that bought her and apparently he was very sincere and apologetic even though it wasn't his fault. (That's something I suppose!)

Will send you all a pigture later so you can be introduced to this little rascal!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top