Beware of this company.
What started as empty promises, has blossomed into further lies, deceit, theft, animal abuse, and a complete and utter lack of accountability.
We initially received a quote of R39 000 for a platinum package which I quote:
PLATINUM OPTION
This really is the whole nine yards (minus Bruce Willis sadly) your platinum option includes EVERYTHING that the Gold option does, but with Platinum all you need to do is Rock up at destination airport on the time and day that we agree with you and take your Fur kid home. Nothing more.
Well, to say that this has not been our experience is the absolute least of my concerns at this point.
Oh, and when you try post anything on their Facebook page, they delete it, which can only lead me to think that I am not the first person to be duped by this company. Thankfully they cannot control HP and other social media outlets.
From looking at the positive reviews pasted on Facebook and HP, I am convinced that these reviews were undoubtedly posted by staff or people who were paid to write them, as this is the most deceitful, unaccountable, dishonest company I have ever dealt with.
From staff delaying their deliverables due to sick children and other customers being a priority (yes, I as the client was told this on numerous occasions) , to shifting blame to the airlines, cargo staff, veterinarians; to animal abuse, to holding my animals hostage, it has been an absolute nightmare from day 1.
I enquired about pet travel to the UK originally in February, and I was adamant that the dogs needed to travel by the end of June as that is when my lease expired.
I was told that they could facilitate flights within 2 weeks, so when I confirmed that I wanted to continue with their services in the beginning of June and to advise on availability, I was not assisted until the security deposit had been paid. bear in mind that nowhere in my interaction with them prior to this was it stated that they would only start working once they received this deposit, only that the deposit would secure the flight date. In fact, the communication was vague and I did not understand the process at all, and requests for clarity were met with: the pandemic makes it difficult for us to confirm anything at this point. I paid the deposit mid-June, expecting the 2 week wait for the flight as promised. by the 28th June I was begging them for a flight date as I had nowhere to go and had to contact my landlord for an emergency lease renewal. on the 29th June I was advised at the last second that a flight could only be secured for the 13th July, and that my dogs had to be kennelled in the interim, at a cost, of course. I was desperate as I felt like I had no other choice, and proceeded with the option, having to make alternative arrangements for accommodation or risk ending up on the streets. it was at this point that I should have known that this company is dodgy! But I remained faithful because the consultants were very friendly after I had secured the deposit and promised to pay them for the Platinum option, which was almost R40 000.
Communication is non-existent in this company and I had to be responsible for more admin than the "expert" assigned to my case, who we had to beg for an invoice daily up until 3 days prior to their flight, despite their own policies demanding full payment 10 days in advance.
My dogs were originally scheduled to fly on the 13th of July and could not due to an air pressure problem on the plane allegedly. No proof was provided from the airline to corroborate this. I was forced into kennelling my animals for an additional month before the next available flight. bearing in mind that my dogs were dumped at the airport and subjected to the cold weather in their small crates, probably petrified and stressed beyond means. They have done nothing to prove the contrary and the pictures I have received are extremely unsettling. my dogs wellbeing is clearly not a concern, but my wallet definitely is. They were then returned to the kennels, at another additional cost, of course! we were promised a discount, but we never received same.
A flight cancelation occurred on the 30th of July and we jumped at the opportunity to get my 2 fur babies to the UK safely. At an additional cost of course, because customs clearance is more expensive over the weekend. We paid diligently at each demand for payment without delay.
The dogs were checked in at 10AM and if I had not checked the flight app to see that the plane was delayed, they would not have told me.
To call them experts is probably the funniest joke I have heard in my life, as I was constantly told that I needed to liaise with whomever was responsible for the latest failure to resolve whichever queries I had as they did not know. Some Platinum package, right?
Whilst I was sitting in a quarantine hotel in London, it was bad news, after bad news. I eventually had to be medically sedated and medicated due to the stress associated and my health severely declined to the point where I was vomiting daily and not eating.
So not only were they callous and reckless with my animals, they were a threat to my own health.
At each and every phone call received I received bad news, it has become a sick joke in my household that when Petport calls, bad omens follow.
Finally we received some good news, or so I thought, because they confirmed that my dogs were checked into the flight on the 30th July, despite the delay of the plane.
An hour after the plane had left OR Tambo, I was once again advised that my dogs were once again dumped at the airport, scared, cold, and caged for God knows how long, with absolutely no reason provided.
I must commend Petport on their extreme ability to express "absolute shock" at every detrimental piece of news that they reported to us, Charlize Theron could not compete with their act. But what rang consistent throughout my entire interaction with this company was that they denied any accountability and at every single instance they made it very clear that I was liable for every single thing that has gone wrong.... Sitting in a quarantine hotel... how they derived that logic is beyond me, as I appointed Petport as my chosen travel agent, and held Petportresponsible for ensuring a smooth relocation of my pets. But alas, they somehow still found a way to say it’s my problem, verbally of course, never ever in writing.
At this point I lost my temper with the company and I must apologise for my outburst, but please, tell me, at what point can a person start getting angry about the constant failures of Petport to uphold to the ONLY thing I asked of them - to get my animals to the UK.
After reporting them to the SPCA for animal cruelty, reporting them to the SAPS, and reporting them to IPATA, we were advised that they managed to get the dogs on a flight on the same date to the UK. Why this could not be arranged on the 13th is still a mystery to this day. Whether this was convenience or coincidence remains unknown, but I was happy to finally see my animals after 2 months of being apart.
One of the requirements in pet relocation is that all original documentation must be provided, as well as state vet clearance.
We were informed this morning that the dogs arrived safely in the UK, and we were overjoyed to be rid of Petport's mismanagement of the entire situation.
Imagine our surprise when we received a call from Petport advising that the original documentation has been lost by the airline and that we were once again liable for paying for the UK vet do to the clearance, at a fee of 300 GBP no less. We could then claim it back from the airline. We advised that they should cover the costs and claim it back from the airline as they are still responsible for the relocation until my pets arrive at my door, after all, that is what the Platinum option entails, which was a whopping R20 000 more expensive at the end of the day than the Gold package, mind you. And once again we were told it is not their problem, leaving us in an impossible situation and forced to dish out yet more funds.
When we spoke to the Animal Reception Centre at Heathrow, we caught Petport in a lie, as we were advised that only copies were attached to the pets crates from the start, which means that once again Petport failed in their duties and proved to be deceitful, and incapable of taking any accountability for their incompetence and mistakes.
Petport keeps blaming the volatility of the pandemic and that this is a global situation, however at every difficulty faced with the agent on the UK side, they were able to accommodate every single request and went out of their way to arrange delivery of the pets despite not having available drivers for the day.
The pandemic has been around for almost 2 years and in this time it is clear that Petport has not installed a single policy to address the issues they supposedly experience, and every stumbling block was at the detriment of the customer.
I am absolutely petrified of receiving my dogs today as the pictures provided of the pre-flight will haunt my dreams for months to come.
Petport is completely unwilling to negotiate and no longer answers or returns my calls but are happy to keep the funds I paid them, despite managing most of the travel arrangements myself, having worked in the travel industry previously and not being useless, I managed to locate the necessary individuals in order to sort everything out from my side.
As far as I am concerned, I will definitely get the SPCA and the SAPS involved if there is even the slightest indication of animal cruelty towards these animals when they arrive later today.
Please be aware of this company. They are the smoothest of liars, but will drain you financially as well as mentally.
Do not fall for their trap like I did.
I am heartbroken to think of the other victims of this heinous company that suffered as I did, and can only hope that this post gets taken with the severity it deserves.
Stay far away from these people and tell everyone who considers this company to think twice before they fall into the same pit that we have.
Please assist me to highlight these heinous acts and criminal activity performed by Petport.
