Victoria - Freight of Reptiles

[-Adam-]

I was just wondering what is the general consensus on freighting reptiles around Victoria? My guess is that road transport is out - but air transport is OK (at least from what I've read on a few shop sites - they're willing to do air only) - but I'd be interested to know what people here think.

Is that to ensure that it's same day delivery - or is it because air is handled more carefully than road? (Or Both)? I'm assuming it's legal if shops advertise it - but never hurts to double check and this forum seems to be the best way.

I've seen Quanta's Pet Freight referenced - but that only goes to a handful of airports in the state and was wondering if anyone uses Australian Air Express (which seems to go to a lot more).

Not actually planning on purchasing at this time - but just wanting to get an idea if I decided to make a purchase if it will be possible at all during lockdown or if I need to prepare to wait 6 months or more.

TIA

 

[sebiimams]

There is no such thing as Australian Air Express. Qantas Freight now does live reptiles. Its essentially the same service that AAE had. It’s the way to go. For closer destinations, I’d aim to have them driven by a small company that does minimal processing on a cool day. Call around.

Many flights, particularly regional ones, have been stopped or cut back during this time. Flights are being cancelled daily. I’d wait, if you can.

 

[-Adam-]

Wow - been a while since I've used air freight. Had no idea about AAE - and it looks like that was a lot of years ago that it closed up. Years are flying by!

Qantas only does major regional and not the smaller towns. Nearest to me is still more than 2hrs away. Only air freight we get here looks to be the likes of DHL/TNT/etc which I'm guessing won't have the same facilities or care.

Best option may be a courier 'collect' service - find out who the local pet store use or similar. I can wait - as mentioned no plans on buying a new pet right at this time - but was curious as to what options might be available to me in case that changed. (As i figured it'd also help breeders during this time if I do - take one less mouth to feed off their hands). Thanks for the update on AAE !

 

[Sdaji]

Wow - been a while since I've used air freight. Had no idea about AAE - and it looks like that was a lot of years ago that it closed up. Years are flying by!

Qantas only does major regional and not the smaller towns. Nearest to me is still more than 2hrs away. Only air freight we get here looks to be the likes of DHL/TNT/etc which I'm guessing won't have the same facilities or care.

Best option may be a courier 'collect' service - find out who the local pet store use or similar. I can wait - as mentioned no plans on buying a new pet right at this time - but was curious as to what options might be available to me in case that changed. (As i figured it'd also help breeders during this time if I do - take one less mouth to feed off their hands). Thanks for the update on AAE !

AAE didn't close, it just changed name. The same staff, same structure, they just changed name a few years ago.

 

[Yellowtail]

This crisis is becoming a problem for me.
I have a lot of snakes and live rodents to ship interstate and to NSW and Qld regional airports and it is getting harder.
A lot of the regionals have stopped flying and now the Gold Coast Airport is closed. I can still freight out of Brisbane but travel restrictions are preventing recipients from collecting from major airports that can be 100k away and even regionals like Coffs Harbour that are still open, it seems that taking a drive to pick up a pet from an airport is not considered essential travel and people do not want to risk the fine.

 

[-Adam-]

Hi Yellowtail, Sorry to hear about your predicament. Surely there is an answer somewhere. Couriers are still operating. Seems strange in some ways that someone taking a drive to pick up an animal personally from the airport would be deemed non-essential, but they could pay a courier to go to the airport on their behalf and pick it up (as it would be a commercial operation). Same level of risk/exposure to either.

I can see an 'uber courier' service emerging from this if it continues...

 

[Sdaji]

This crisis is becoming a problem for me.
I have a lot of snakes and live rodents to ship interstate and to NSW and Qld regional airports and it is getting harder.
A lot of the regionals have stopped flying and now the Gold Coast Airport is closed. I can still freight out of Brisbane but travel restrictions are preventing recipients from collecting from major airports that can be 100k away and even regionals like Coffs Harbour that are still open, it seems that taking a drive to pick up a pet from an airport is not considered essential travel and people do not want to risk the fine.

if you have a booking number and appointment to pick them up you shouldn't have any problems. I'm not a legal expert and can't give legal advice, but if you're not taking friends with you for the drive and you're not doing anything silly along the way, there should be no issue. If Scott Morrison says going to buy jigsaw puzzles is essential travel for essential supplies, surely going to buy a pet while you're isolated counts as essential. Pets are one of the best things to keep people sane during isolation, far better than a jigsaw puzzle. I can't see police having a problem with this if you politely tell them what you're doing. The people getting fines are mostly the ones playing cricket in the street with a dozen friends or getting together for a party etc. The learner driver is the only one I know of which was ridiculous, and I'm sure the girl's mother must have abused the cop or something.

 

[-Adam-]

if you have a booking number and appointment to pick them up you shouldn't have any problems. I'm not a legal expert and can't give legal advice, but if you're not taking friends with you for the drive and you're not doing anything silly along the way, there should be no issue. If Scott Morrison says going to buy jigsaw puzzles is essential travel for essential supplies, surely going to buy a pet while you're isolated counts as essential. Pets are one of the best things to keep people sane during isolation, far better than a jigsaw puzzle. I can't see police having a problem with this if you politely tell them what you're doing. The people getting fines are mostly the ones playing cricket in the street with a dozen friends or getting together for a party etc. The learner driver is the only one I know of which was ridiculous, and I'm sure the girl's mother must have abused the cop or something.

Sadly - the learner driver wasn't an isolated incident. I've heard of people stopped by police and turned around who have gone to pick up a the new car that was recently delivered at a dealer, and the most recent was someone who was fined in NSW recently for having 'too many reasons' for being out. (I think it was because they chose to exercise as well as buy groceries and was fined accordingly). There's a lot of paranoia around at the moment as to what is acceptable, and unfortunately a minority but aggressive few police that are trying to pin anyone with any excuse they think they can get away with.

As for the L plater - my suspicions is that they ran into highway patrol, which have been trained to look at the law from the strictest interpretation possible, and look for anything abnormal. My best guess is that they saw the L plate, and thought - easy pickings and is why they were pulled over initially.

Either way it's pointless to me - nearest regional Qantas delivery is nearly a 3 hour drive away. Unless whoever AAE has become will do pet's and breeders/shops are happy to send via them - then that's any new purchase out for me for the duration, unless I see an add pop up in the local paper.

For breeders, my suggestion (no legal expert here either) - is to have paperwork on you showing that you're a commercial operator. Most commercial businesses (except those deemed 'non essential' such as some retail, massage, hairdressers, etc) - are still permitted to go about their business from what I understand.

For anyone else - the only solution I can see is that failing to collect an animal that has been posted it would breach the legislation that requires care for animals and would involve RSPCA prosecution, so that by law you have no choice but to collect the animal. (I believe there is an exception in the rules for looking after animals). How much this carries is yet to be tested, and I suspect would only work if the animal would be in distress unless collected. (So fails with shops, but might work with Qantas pet freight pickups).

 

[Yellowtail]

I don't have a problem as a breeder taking them to an airport and I have a Qld Border Permit so I can deliver rodents and snakes by road into NSW but for example I have a customer for a snake that lives 90k from Coffs Harbour and they have had advice that they cannot travel to the airport. I have made suggestions as discussed above but they have been told to stay home and don't want to risk a fine. I have 2 snakes to send to Kempsey NSW with the same problem.

 

[dragonlover1]

I have a couple of people who want my hatchie P. minor minor but need freight to NSW south coast and SA. I intend to exploit my position as an essential service to deliver them to the airport. I did the same last weekend to deliver some P.henrylawsoni to Port Kembla, I drove 188km for very little money but I was supplying a need. Let's see the nazi's have a go at that

 

[-Adam-]

For those in Victoria - the current official documentation (which can be found here) https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/sites/d... - stay at home direction (no 4) (signed).pdf has an exception for "Pet Store or Veterinary Clinic".

It also has another exception for "A retail facility that is not prohibited from operating by the Restricted Activities Direction"...

I wonder if breeders would be considered a Pet Store?

 

[Yellowtail]

Qantas are no longer accepting bookings for animal freight because most of their flights have stopped.