[Chelli]

I am so frustrated at the moment. DH and I made a big decision to get a puppy for Christmas. Our last dog was rescued right before Christmas and it's coming up to a year since she passed away - so we would like to add another family member as we feel ready again.

So I searched and searched and finally found the perfect one for us - the only problem is she is in Bathurst and we are in Tassie. And there begins the nightmare that ensued...

I researched pet travel companies and called the top three. Only one of those would fly from Bathurst - that should've been my first clue. They assured me that they fly from there all the time and all would be fine. So all was booked, and the owner of our puppy is up and at the airport at 5.30am as per instructions on the 21st of Dec. DH took the day off to travel to Hobart (about 500km from where we live) as I wanted as little changeover as possible at the airport for our girl and this was the fastest route. The phone call came from the owner at 5.45am - there is a problem at the airport - the people who carry the dog to the plane (the crate and paperwork was all there and ready) refused to do it. I frantically ring the transport company's emergency number and get the owners out of bed - a husband and wife team. The wife seems to be a little concerned once she woke up but said there was not a lot she could do as she usually deals with international, and this was a domestic transfer. We had to wait until 9.00am until the woman who deals with domestic comes into the office.

Meanwhile, I ring the dog owner back and tell her I'll have to ring her later in regards to what to do next. She isn't impressed as the airport is telling her to leave the puppy there (which she rightfully refused to do) and that it was ridiculous for the Pet Travel company to book it on a 6.30am flight. The next flight out was 10.00am.

In the interim, I have to go to work, move offices and work out whether I was going to a funeral or not that afternoon as a friend had passed away.

At 9.30am, I receive a call from the Pet Transport people to say they have been in contact with the dog owner (who was in the shower by that stage) and she is to hurry back to the airport for the 10.00am flight. Considering you're supposed to be there an hour before the flight, there wasn't much chance of that. Nonetheless, she rushes back to the airport only to find that the flight had been closed and the pilot refused to board the dog even though the plane was still on the tarmac.

She rings me back (pretty irate by now) and informs me that she had plans to go away for Christmas and that the puppy was now going to spend time with her sister over that period. Meanwhile the Pet Travel people had tried to organise for a friend to drive the puppy to Sydney for them the following day, but the owner had refused to give her over to a complete stranger. They also informed me that the owner had kicked up such a fuss at the airport the second time she was there that they now refuse to fly the dog from there altogether if she delivers her. Pet Travel people said she should've just left the puppy there at 6.30am as per the airport's suggestion

I'm ready to throttle them both and resolved that we were not going to have the puppy for Christmas. I was disappointed but what can you do... Besides, my friend had just died and my problems were nothing in comparison.

Fast forward to today, and the owner is back from her break and eager to find out when we can be united with our puppy. I ring the Pet Transport people to discover that the Bathurst airport is closed until the 7th of January (and they reckon Tassie is backwards, at least our airports never close!!), so there is nothing much they can do. If I can get her to Sydney from Bathurst, then they'll be able to help me, but other than that, bad luck.

I am soooo disappointed. I really wanted to have all the time over the school holidays to settle her in and get her used to us and a routine before school and my work goes back. It is such a logistical nightmare for a 3 hour drive! We were prepared to drive 10 hours to pick her up from our end.

I've researched flights to physically pick her up from Sydney but it's so expensive to get off the island at short notice. If I was on the mainland I'd drive to go and get her.

[FreeRangeMum]

That sucks I hope you work something out!!!

[Chelli]

Thanks, me too! I rang a family member today to see if he was in the area, but he's in Glen Innes which is apparently a long way away I have no choice but to wait.

[YandiGirl]

It's a nuisance isn't it??? I tried to organise for my cat to be flown from Newcastle to Perth with one of those transport companies. After much heartache, I got on a plane and collected her myself. It was just too difficult.

There was a last minute glitch at Sydney airport, where she had booked and confirmed on the flight, where they said she couldn't be flown as excess baggage, but had to go by courier (same plane FFS), I just had to pay an additional $60 and get her to the AAE office, all after my flight had been called to board.

But...she got there in the end and I could barely contain my excitement when I collected her in Perth from the lovely people at AAE.

Unless you are dropping off and picking up, or are going from capital city to capital city, the pet transport companies are a complete waste of time, IMHO.

I strongly recommend getting on a plane.....

[YandiGirl]

Okay...

Flights, approx $400 round trip, depending on days (Jetstar)
Train to Bathurst from Central $100 return on XPT or $20 return slow train plus coach (45 minutes difference in travel time), plus $40 from airport to Central. Alternatively hire a car from Sydney say $150.
Overnight accommodation in Bathurst $115
AAE $70 (from memory)

Total = $750 (all rounded up so there's no surprises)

There are restrictions on dog travel from the mainland to Tassie, they have to be treated for hydatid tapeworm before they are allowed to travel.

I am sure it will be a bit more expensive than the transport company, but at least you can guarantee the dog will get to Tassie........

[Chelli]

I would get on a plane but I'm looking at an overnight stay in Sydney and then an early flight back to Tassie the next day. I would do that but it would mean finding somewhere to stay that accepts dogs, working out how to get from Sydney to Bathurst return that accepts dogs as I wouldn't be able to fly into Bathurst due to the airport being closed until the 7th of Jan. I might be able to meet the owner in Sydney but again that would mean the day before I return which would be preferable or risking they may not make it to the airport in time on the day I return.

I'd still have to organize a travel crate that is airline approved for the return trip, and there are no cheap flights left due to the time of year. I just wish the morons who refused to put her on the plane in the first place realized how selfish they were being.

[*Spikey*]

Bathurst isn't close to me either - otherwise I'd have done a grab and drop for you. Oh, and the small matter of DD getting chicken pox, so I'm trying to quarantine us all...

So in the meantime, what kind of dog did you get? A rescue or a breed?

[YandiGirl]

Stay in Bathurst and collect the dog the next morning, hire a car, you can drive the dog yourself. I saw $189 flights, all depends on the day you travel. AAE will hire you a crate, or you can buy one.

[Chelli]

Thanks for researching that YandiGirl, only problem I was also told that only Qantas and Virgin will fly pets, but maybe that was unaccompanied. Ideally getting a flight in and out on the same day would've been ideal, but that won't happen.

The pet travel company have charged me $277 for the one-way travel.

[YandiGirl]

Meh, took 5 mins. They don't call me "Google One" for nothing.

Jetstar also fly pets, they just officially travel with AAE.

$227 and you don't have your dog. Yes, it's more, but you'll have your dog.