AaE lost my animals -what do l do???

[zoo_girl]

Just got the news from Australian Air Express that a box of reptiles l was expecting today have been lost. Apparently the box they were in blew off the top of a trailer while they were being transported to a connecting flight and the driver subsequently ran over it. A guy from AaE told me that apparently the internal packaging of the box was not correct. Not that it would of made a difference in this case. I really don't give a ******* what the internal packaging was, it never should of come off the trailer in the first place and l am holding them liable for my loss. How do l sort this out with AeE as l will be seeking compensation big time. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[No-two]

What animals were they? Regardless it's their fault, everytime I've used AAE they have checked the internal packaging, and as far as I know they're supposed to, so they should've said it wasn't correct at the time of lodgement. They're probably just saying it so to seems as if it wasn't their fault. AAE in Melbourne is ridiculous, I hate them in there, and I'm allways there.

 

[waruikazi]

If the internal packaging was incorrect you maybe able to hold the seller liable for the loss if you get nothing out of AAE.

 

[Kristy_07]

I'm so sorry - I would be very upset if this was me. That said, when seeking compensation, I think that it is important to keep it as a business transaction. By which I mean that you need to ask for compensation for the cost of the snakes, which I imagine you will have a receipt or record of business for, and the cost of the of the transport. If you show them that you're upset or ask for more than the costs of the good + freight, they won't take you seriously for a moment. Use no-two's info to check whether they are supposed to check the internal packaging, and if they are, then all the more in your favour. I know I sound a bit dogmatic, but, IMO, you have more chance of recovering your costs in full if you are not emotional and treat it as business.

Again, sorry for what you've lost. On the inside, I'd be ropable, too. Good luck with getting your money back.

 

[Amby_Purr]

OH NO!!!!! the poor little guys!!!!!!!

 

[zoo_girl]

They were geckos and this happened in Sydney. Thats what l think, they're trying to shift the blame to the age old thing about packaging and yes in my experience they do check the packaging before shipping. It should have never come off the trailer, it is their responsibility to keep their load secure. I am so disgusted that this has happened.

 

[zoo_girl]

Yeah, all l could think of was the horrible death they suffered :-(

 

[Waterrat]

Zoo-girl, don't hold you breath, AaE does not compensate for life-stock, no matter who's fault it was. However, try to approach them politely without making any threats because in reality, you can't carry any threats through, so there is no point making any. Get the sender to lodge a complaint because it is the sender's loss more than yours, but all in nice and polite matter. Take my advice, I had some horrific experience with them and it all came good in the end.

The bottom line is - had you (or anyone else) dropped the reptiles onto their counter in a brown paper bag and they accepted it, it's their responsibility from there on. Unfortunately, they don't see it that way - a solicitor would.

 

[snakelady-viper]

I have had several items through them and not one iten came intact IMO aae in nsw is useless . Sorry for your loss. Good luck getting anything from them. Go get a good solicitor they have got away from their responsibilities for too long.

 

[AUSHERP]

spewin!!! if they told you that someone ran over them, then it is their problem, if they reject your request for cost compensation, you could go to the department of fair trading. they are only not liable if the animal dies in transit by fault not of aae, i would say running it over is a fault.......

 

[zoo_girl]

This is so depressing, l just lost $500... surely AeE are legally liable to compsensate for negligence? Is getting a solicitor the only way?

 

[Pythons Rule]

OMFG so sorry to hear this has happened to your lil fellas its got to be hard to go through something like this and I know now when I move to sydney I'll be driving all my animals down and not sending them through AAE. I've gone through AAE a few times but QLD, SA, NSW and NT and I worry all the time how there getting handled. people these days don't give a flying rats *** about other peoples belongings or reptiles for that matter and they have no understanding how much work or money goes into this hobby. I've had people say to me " you just catch them anyways....." but I don't I've spen around $1000 for some of my animals and all mine are licenced and been payed for. so ya people don't take us seriously and I hope to dear god you get something back for your losses. and also inform the breeder of this so they can follow this up and you may also get a refund or something.

 

[goneself]

You should be ok as long as you keep it buisness like. I had a similar experience with a pair of boyd's dragons which were shipped in a cardboard outer which looked pretty crumpled- I opened it in the depot and the plastic container inside, and the dragons, were smashed pretty badly. The clerk was no help at all, but after a few weeks of mail back and forth the state manager finally paid the shipping cost and what I had paid for the animals. Not that that helped the boyd's very much. In the worst case you can always take them to small claims court, and won't need to pay for a solicitor.

 

[Waterrat]

AUSHERP, read the fine print on AaE documentation. Dep. of Fair Trading will not touch it. Zoo-girl, I know it's hurting but legal action would cost you much more that the geckos and emotional suffering together. The question is, did it fly off the trolley while under the control of AaE staff or the cargo handlers? Go softly softly and if they refuse to deal with it amicably, then start thinking about other options. Cool down first.

 

[AM Pythons]

go straight to the regional manager, seems to be the way to go, dont deal with desk attendants, go straight to the top... explain yourself.. hope it all works out..

 

[euphorion]

sorry for your loss i can toffer any advice, but i will be following this thread as i often use AAE. I've had good experiences so far with them, animals being sent at a time where they arrive after closing time on the recieving end, and having staff ensure the animals get to me okay good luck!

 

[snakehandler]

Something that you also have to remember is that aae are not always the ones driving the trailers, especially if it is between flights, that will come down to QANTAS, AAE pick up from the final plane and take back to their depot, it is unloaded and loaded by QANTAS staff. If the package was not within the regulations then there will be no chance of compensation, if it is not packaged correctly then you can always go back to the seller and request a refund as they have not fulfilled their commitment to you and have not ensured that the animals were packaged correctly....

 

[Waterrat]

Actually, did they hand over the parcel (with the dead animals) to you or did they simply disposed of it? Where is the proof that the packaging was improper?

 

[cougars]

If the box was run over,surely any box would be crushed?

 

[diamondgal79]

thats just hearbreaking and my ? is also did they give you your "package" back or did they dispose of it?
I hope you get somewhere with this.