LOOKING GLASS RABBITS TRANSPORT POLICY & REQUIREMENTS
In recent years, due to moving to a different part of the country, and a lack of more shows locally in our neighborhood, Looking Glass Rabbits has taken to traveling to several out of town rabbit shows, in addition to a couple of the larger national shows. This presents breeders the opportunity to buy and sell stock to a larger market, utilizing experienced responsible transporters they can trust, while allowing us to cover some of the expenses incurred in traveling. We have transported for the past 3 years with excellent success anywhere from a couple hundred miles on a day trip, to multi-day cross country trips. We take excellent care of our charges, keeping them comfortable, clean, fed and watered, and in a safe and secure environment during their trip. Below is a listing of our Transport Policy and Requirements, as well as general Transport Etiquette to help those who are interested in having an animal transported, or looking to transport themselves.
LGR TRANSPORT POLICY
Animal Health is of the utmost concern to LGR. In the event that an animal is brought to us for transport that is visibly ill or in a condition that it seems unlikely survive the trip, we reserve the right to refuse to transport it. This is both for concerns for the animal as well as the grounds that it could potentially make the other rabbits or cavies we are transporting ill as well. We will call or text the purchaser/receiver of the animal at such time as this may happen to inform them of our refusal, and will provide photos to help illustrate our position.
Secondarily, we cannot take any responsibility for illness or injury to an animal that did not occur with us, and/or could legitimately be caused by the normal stresses of transportation. (This includes but is not limited to losing condition, loss of appetite, illness or potentially unexpected death.) We will do our very best to make certain that all of our transport animals are eating and drinking reasonably well, and if we have a concern about the state of an animal at the time of pick up or during transport, we will inform the purchaser/receiver right away. We of course will take responsibility should something happen to the animal due to our actions, but work hard to prevent such issues.
If you choose to transport with us it is expected that you have read and agree to this policy.
LGR TRANSPORT REQUIREMENTS
In order to transport LGR needs the following from you in as complete detail as possible.
1. If you are the purchaser/receiver of the animals please provide: (if not skip to 2.)
Your name (real, not just a rabbitry name):
Phone number (cell preferred) where LGR can contact you:
Meeting place for us to get your animals too you:
(If you need clarification about the route, please let us know, and we can work out a location that works to our mutual convenience.)
1a. Name, phone (cell preferred,) and meeting place (State and City at a minimum) of the person LGR is picking up the animals from:
1b. - If you are using a secondary transporter that LGR will be meeting either to pick up or drop off rabbits, please let us know, and provide the above information so we can communicate with them.
2. If you are the sender of the animals please provide: (if not continue to 3.)
Your name (real, not just a rabbitry name):
Phone number (cell preferred) where LGR can contact you:
Meeting place for us to pick up your animals:
(If you need clarification about the route, please let us know, and we can work out a location that works to our mutual convenience.)
2a. Name, phone (cell preferred,) and meeting place (State and City at a minimum) of each person LGR is delivering the animals to:
2b. - If you are using a secondary transporter that LGR will be meeting either to pick up or drop off rabbits, please note this, and provide the above information so we can communicate with them.
3. What we are transporting for you:
Please provide the Ear#, Sex, Breed, and Variety of each animal you are having transported to prevent mix ups. (We understand if some of it is not available, but please provide as much of the info as you can get.)
3a. An Important Note! If you are the receiver of the rabbits, please contact the sender and make certain that they provide at least 1 week's feed in addition to transition feed for each rabbit coming from them! If you are the sender of the rabbits please provide at least 1 week's feed in addition to transition feed for each rabbit you are sending! Preferably, mark the feed bag with the rabbit it is provided for, and the brand of feed used.
4. Fees:
Unless otherwise discussed or listed, the fee posted is for each animal transported. If you have discussed a deviation from our posted route with us, or an additional extended care fee, please include it in your payment. Unless other arrangements are made in advance, payment is required in full PRIOR to picking up an animal for transport. If you are not the person paying for transport, please let us know who is so we can place payments with the correct transactions.
LGR TRANSPORT POLICY
Animal Health is of the utmost concern to LGR. In the event that an animal is brought to us for transport that is visibly ill or in a condition that it seems unlikely survive the trip, we reserve the right to refuse to transport it. This is both for concerns for the animal as well as the grounds that it could potentially make the other rabbits or cavies we are transporting ill as well. We will call or text the purchaser/receiver of the animal at such time as this may happen to inform them of our refusal, and will provide photos to help illustrate our position.
Secondarily, we cannot take any responsibility for illness or injury to an animal that did not occur with us, and/or could legitimately be caused by the normal stresses of transportation. (This includes but is not limited to losing condition, loss of appetite, illness or potentially unexpected death.) We will do our very best to make certain that all of our transport animals are eating and drinking reasonably well, and if we have a concern about the state of an animal at the time of pick up or during transport, we will inform the purchaser/receiver right away. We of course will take responsibility should something happen to the animal due to our actions, but work hard to prevent such issues.
If you choose to transport with us it is expected that you have read and agree to this policy.
LGR TRANSPORT REQUIREMENTS
In order to transport LGR needs the following from you in as complete detail as possible.
1. If you are the purchaser/receiver of the animals please provide: (if not skip to 2.)
Your name (real, not just a rabbitry name):
Phone number (cell preferred) where LGR can contact you:
Meeting place for us to get your animals too you:
(If you need clarification about the route, please let us know, and we can work out a location that works to our mutual convenience.)
1a. Name, phone (cell preferred,) and meeting place (State and City at a minimum) of the person LGR is picking up the animals from:
1b. - If you are using a secondary transporter that LGR will be meeting either to pick up or drop off rabbits, please let us know, and provide the above information so we can communicate with them.
2. If you are the sender of the animals please provide: (if not continue to 3.)
Your name (real, not just a rabbitry name):
Phone number (cell preferred) where LGR can contact you:
Meeting place for us to pick up your animals:
(If you need clarification about the route, please let us know, and we can work out a location that works to our mutual convenience.)
2a. Name, phone (cell preferred,) and meeting place (State and City at a minimum) of each person LGR is delivering the animals to:
2b. - If you are using a secondary transporter that LGR will be meeting either to pick up or drop off rabbits, please note this, and provide the above information so we can communicate with them.
3. What we are transporting for you:
Please provide the Ear#, Sex, Breed, and Variety of each animal you are having transported to prevent mix ups. (We understand if some of it is not available, but please provide as much of the info as you can get.)
3a. An Important Note! If you are the receiver of the rabbits, please contact the sender and make certain that they provide at least 1 week's feed in addition to transition feed for each rabbit coming from them! If you are the sender of the rabbits please provide at least 1 week's feed in addition to transition feed for each rabbit you are sending! Preferably, mark the feed bag with the rabbit it is provided for, and the brand of feed used.
4. Fees:
Unless otherwise discussed or listed, the fee posted is for each animal transported. If you have discussed a deviation from our posted route with us, or an additional extended care fee, please include it in your payment. Unless other arrangements are made in advance, payment is required in full PRIOR to picking up an animal for transport. If you are not the person paying for transport, please let us know who is so we can place payments with the correct transactions.
TRANSPORT TIPS & ETTIQUETTE
A good transporter should provide some form of policy and agreement spelling out the details of the arrangement, including the price of transport, what they will and will not accept, a general estimate of their travel time-frame, and contact information.
The transporter should also responsibly estimate the compensation they require for transport and quote a price one time for each trip. It is not fair or acceptable to change the pricing structure or fee on a customer multiple times, or change the price at the last minute. (This may not apply to volume discounts of course.)
During long distance travel, providing an exact time to meet may be difficult due to various uncontrollable factors such as traffic, emergency, delays at a transfer point, etc. It is therefore important that the transporter keep in regular contact throughout the day they expect to meet, to provide as close an estimate to when they will be arriving at the per-arranged meeting point. (Please do not NAG though. If the transporter expects to arrive in 6 hours, checking every other hour to see if they are still on track for that same ETA is unnecessary. A good transporter should give you a heads up in the morning, and at least an hour in advance of their final ETA, and update you from there with any last minute changes.)
Texting is the best way to keep in contact (with the non-driving partner of course), as it is easier to send and receive texts in poor reception areas than it is to speak on the phone at times. If texting is not a viable option, be aware that at times it may not be possible to get through to the transporter.
As the sender or receiver of the animal, please do not leave the transporter waiting at a meeting point for long periods of time. This is unfair to them, as they do not always have the option of stopping somewhere to rest, and the longer they have to wait, the longer the animals will be subject to the stress and discomfort of transport unnecessarily.
If you are local to the area that the transporter is meeting you in, try to choose a SAFE quiet area. Do not expect the Transporter to pick an area for you, because they probably do not know the area you live in. If you don't know the area you will be meeting in well, try to meet at a fast food restaurant, or another public location, that both provides security of having people around it, but isn't so busy, it hinders moving animals from one vehicle to another. In the evening, look for a Gas Station, or a location that is well lit for safety purposes.
In contrast to the above, if your city, county, or state does not allow transfer of animals in public areas, please choose a legal, private location that you feel secure bringing the transporter too.
As the receiver of the rabbit, please work with the transporter to get all the necessary information to them BEFORE they make the trip. Last minute additions are fine, but the transporter should not have to guess at what they are picking up, or who they are getting animals from, and beg for contact info for any and all parties involved. If you cannot or provide the the information necessary to facilitate smooth communication for everyone, either get the transporter enough info that they can obtain the rest themselves, or do not ask for transport.
Please expect to either pay in advance (particularly when receiving multiple rabbits) or have cash on delivery if the transporter allows for it. It is tremendously discourteous to ask for a transporter's assistance, and then not be prepared to pay for their help in a timely manner.
It is important that the animal be clean, healthy, and in as good condition as possible before giving it to the transporter. If the animal has gone off feed, or otherwise been a little off prior to transport, even if you believe it to be healthy enough to leave, let the transporter know that the animal may already be stressed.
It is also important that the sender include feed for the duration of the trip, and potentially beyond while the buyer transitions the animal on to his own feed. It cannot be stressed enough that the sender MUST provide food for the animal they are sending. If it is a day trip, a small quantity, or perhaps a couple hay cubes will suffice. Be responsible for the animals you sell, and make sure that they have enough food to cover their trip at least.
There are certain conditions where the animal should NOT be given to the transporter, and the transporter may refuse accept the animal in certain cases. The following are a few conditions that are unacceptable for travel:
- Open actively bleeding wound or abscess
- Scabs or bleeding from the mouth, nose, or vent
- Obvious/severe ear or fur mites
- Indication of severe Diarrhea
No. 1 refusable condition: Blowing Snot (It should be noted that rabbits perspire via their nostrils, so a little bit of clear wetness can be a normal sign of an over heating, or stressed animal. Any other color than clear and/or thick/heavy discharge should not ever be accepted.)
In each case of refusal of an animal for transport, the transporter should let the receiver know as soon as possible, and if possible, take clear photos of the animal, and the reason for refusal. This is especially important when the transporter cannot get a hold of the receiver right away.
In the event that a rabbit comes down severely ill, a prepared transporter may have some probiotics to help, but they cannot fully doctor the animal while on the road, and it may end up dying. This is not a major risk, but it can happen (more so with Cavies.) It is a risk that the receiver takes when they purchase the animal, and not the responsibility of the transporter, but it is courteous to contact the receiver when the transporter notices that there may be a problem, and in the case of a visible problem, taking photographs to document the situation is also a good idea.
While the transporter does their best to keep animals from coming in contact with each other, their ability to do so completely is very limited.
As with all new rabbits, it is wise to quarantine any animal you have had transported for anywhere from 2 weeks to a month or more to make certain they are healthy and acclimatized to their new environment, before being brought into your herd.
The transporter should also responsibly estimate the compensation they require for transport and quote a price one time for each trip. It is not fair or acceptable to change the pricing structure or fee on a customer multiple times, or change the price at the last minute. (This may not apply to volume discounts of course.)
During long distance travel, providing an exact time to meet may be difficult due to various uncontrollable factors such as traffic, emergency, delays at a transfer point, etc. It is therefore important that the transporter keep in regular contact throughout the day they expect to meet, to provide as close an estimate to when they will be arriving at the per-arranged meeting point. (Please do not NAG though. If the transporter expects to arrive in 6 hours, checking every other hour to see if they are still on track for that same ETA is unnecessary. A good transporter should give you a heads up in the morning, and at least an hour in advance of their final ETA, and update you from there with any last minute changes.)
Texting is the best way to keep in contact (with the non-driving partner of course), as it is easier to send and receive texts in poor reception areas than it is to speak on the phone at times. If texting is not a viable option, be aware that at times it may not be possible to get through to the transporter.
As the sender or receiver of the animal, please do not leave the transporter waiting at a meeting point for long periods of time. This is unfair to them, as they do not always have the option of stopping somewhere to rest, and the longer they have to wait, the longer the animals will be subject to the stress and discomfort of transport unnecessarily.
If you are local to the area that the transporter is meeting you in, try to choose a SAFE quiet area. Do not expect the Transporter to pick an area for you, because they probably do not know the area you live in. If you don't know the area you will be meeting in well, try to meet at a fast food restaurant, or another public location, that both provides security of having people around it, but isn't so busy, it hinders moving animals from one vehicle to another. In the evening, look for a Gas Station, or a location that is well lit for safety purposes.
In contrast to the above, if your city, county, or state does not allow transfer of animals in public areas, please choose a legal, private location that you feel secure bringing the transporter too.
As the receiver of the rabbit, please work with the transporter to get all the necessary information to them BEFORE they make the trip. Last minute additions are fine, but the transporter should not have to guess at what they are picking up, or who they are getting animals from, and beg for contact info for any and all parties involved. If you cannot or provide the the information necessary to facilitate smooth communication for everyone, either get the transporter enough info that they can obtain the rest themselves, or do not ask for transport.
Please expect to either pay in advance (particularly when receiving multiple rabbits) or have cash on delivery if the transporter allows for it. It is tremendously discourteous to ask for a transporter's assistance, and then not be prepared to pay for their help in a timely manner.
It is important that the animal be clean, healthy, and in as good condition as possible before giving it to the transporter. If the animal has gone off feed, or otherwise been a little off prior to transport, even if you believe it to be healthy enough to leave, let the transporter know that the animal may already be stressed.
It is also important that the sender include feed for the duration of the trip, and potentially beyond while the buyer transitions the animal on to his own feed. It cannot be stressed enough that the sender MUST provide food for the animal they are sending. If it is a day trip, a small quantity, or perhaps a couple hay cubes will suffice. Be responsible for the animals you sell, and make sure that they have enough food to cover their trip at least.
There are certain conditions where the animal should NOT be given to the transporter, and the transporter may refuse accept the animal in certain cases. The following are a few conditions that are unacceptable for travel:
- Open actively bleeding wound or abscess
- Scabs or bleeding from the mouth, nose, or vent
- Obvious/severe ear or fur mites
- Indication of severe Diarrhea
No. 1 refusable condition: Blowing Snot (It should be noted that rabbits perspire via their nostrils, so a little bit of clear wetness can be a normal sign of an over heating, or stressed animal. Any other color than clear and/or thick/heavy discharge should not ever be accepted.)
In each case of refusal of an animal for transport, the transporter should let the receiver know as soon as possible, and if possible, take clear photos of the animal, and the reason for refusal. This is especially important when the transporter cannot get a hold of the receiver right away.
In the event that a rabbit comes down severely ill, a prepared transporter may have some probiotics to help, but they cannot fully doctor the animal while on the road, and it may end up dying. This is not a major risk, but it can happen (more so with Cavies.) It is a risk that the receiver takes when they purchase the animal, and not the responsibility of the transporter, but it is courteous to contact the receiver when the transporter notices that there may be a problem, and in the case of a visible problem, taking photographs to document the situation is also a good idea.
While the transporter does their best to keep animals from coming in contact with each other, their ability to do so completely is very limited.
As with all new rabbits, it is wise to quarantine any animal you have had transported for anywhere from 2 weeks to a month or more to make certain they are healthy and acclimatized to their new environment, before being brought into your herd.