Nicky & Dave

Just need to let off steam - so, so, so bloody peed off with Sydney Quarantine, who are completely useless.

Story so far, I've been trying to book my cats into the Quarantine station for two weeks. Phoned them directly two weeks ago and get the response 'sorry ma'am, you need to put your request in writing by email', which I duly did .....

My email:

"Dear Eastern Creek,

Blah, blah, blah

I understand that the Quarantine centre is very booked up for the next couple of months, so please could you confirm the first available date, after 16th October 2006, that you are able to offer three confirmed quarantine space for our three cats.

Blah, blah, blah "

Is my request clear???? I thought so too.......but here's the response that I got back this morning .....

"I have placed your cats on the waiting list and we will be in contact with you as soon as a kennel becomes available."

Aaaaarh!!!! Bang my head against a brick wall! I don't want to be on the bloody waitlist - that's why I asked the first date they had confirmed bloody space available. What bloody good is it to me to be on a waitlist, when we're due to travel on 28th November and I need to make definite arrangements for my cats! For Gods sake, don't they have any system in place there????

So, now got to wait up tonight and call them in the vain hope that I get someone with half a brain who can help. But how absolutely ridiculous is this? Surely they must know when they have space available???? Spoke to one of the pet shippers today, who have exactly the same problem, but they say it's only Sydney - Melbourne and Perth are more organised.

Thanks guys, feel better for having had that rant!

Nicky

Alison1967

I know they had flooding which severely affected the cat kennels, they have probably got a hugh waiting list.

Have you thought of contacting the other two stations to see if they could accomodate your cats. it would mean a longer journey afterwards though.

Good luck with getting them a place

Ali

Nicky & Dave

Thanks Ali. I'm going to call Sydney tonight and give it a final go to see if I can get some definate answer on a date, otherwise we'll have to look into Melbourne instead. I've just spoken to a couple more Pet Shippers who are all having the same problem with Sydney, and they also advise to consider Melbourne, as they reckon it could be next year before we get confirmed space at Sydney!!! :scared:

Nicky

Dom the Pom

I spoke with two shipping companies this morning - Golden Arrow and AirPets. Both said Sydney has almost limitless space for dogs and I could book him a place almost immediately.

Is it a different story for cats then?

Nicky & Dave

Must be - apparentely they've lost a load of the cat kennels due to a landslide earlier this year (which is rather concerning - hope there weren't any cats in them at the time) which means they are very short on space.

Alison1967

Holly (cat) went to melbourne and came out skinnier but ok recently. It was the cattery she went too afterwards as i had problems getting a rental that she picked up a virus/upper resp infection.
Wayne gundry there was very good and emailled me back to let me know how she was doing.
Good luck organising it, i used golden arrow and they organised everything.

Ali

YoSemite

go with melbourne.... they were my first choice even though it would have meant a longer trip up to brisbane. It was only because they were all booked up when we came over that I put the dogs through sydney instead.

have to admit that I was not impressed with the service at sydney AT ALL.

never managed to speak to the girl who was looking after my dogs, never heard how they were getting on, only thing we got was a letter telling us how much we were due. I gave them the benefit of the doubt thinking they must be very busy - only to be told (when we collected the dogs) that it had been "quieter recently".

now what really really got me was that my oldest dog left quarantine with an ear infection which the vet said must have been "festering" for 2 weeks, but hadn't been picked up by the handlers (thankfully a 5 day course of antibiotics and lots of TLC sorted it right out).


I know there have been 100s of other dogs/cats which have come through sydney just fine - as always it's the luck of the draw. But if they're being awkward then I'd just take my business (government service or not) elsewhere!

Nicky & Dave

Thanks for the advice - you've got me thinking as one of my cats is nearly 18 with a liver condition, so he needs close monitoring. If Sydney are so disorganised and short-staffed, what's the impact on the quality of care they are able to give to animals? Just really wanted to avoid putting my cats through any additional travelling but at least if we go with Melbourne, they won't be stuck in boarding here for too long, they'll be out of quarantine sooner and, if we don't have accommodation sorted, we can at least board them nearer to us in Sydney for a few weeks until we're sorted.

Glad to hear your dogs okay and thanks again for the advice.

Nicky

kitty4

Hi Nicky

we got our cat import permits 3 weeks ago (pet export company doing it all for us) and the first date we were given for our four cats at Sydney was 27 October, which we have booked and the company have confirmed. I would have thought at this stage there would be space available for your cats at the time you want to go, unless all the places have been pre booked for that time. It's so annoying when you clearly ask a question and get a reply that is useless to you. I emailed Eastern Creek this week about medication for one of my cats - do I have to send a supply with him or will they supply and charge us? I'm still waiting for a reply. Do you know the answer to that?
Hope you get it all sorted soon, so you know where you stand.
All very stressful.
Kitty

Nicky & Dave

Hi Kitty,

Thanks for this - out of interest, which company are you using to transport your cats over? I'm dithering between Airpets and Ladyhaye!

Can't confirm about medication, although I suspect that they'll supply through their vet. I'd advise ringing Eastern Creek for an answer as I still haven't received a response to a general quaratine enquiry I sent to them 4 weeks ago!

Nicky

kitty4

Hi Nicky
we are using airpets. Can't fault them so far, all the organizing has gone smoothly, they will collect the cats, do the necessary and they fly the next day. We have their flight details, air way bill number etc and booking confirmation. It's taken a load of hassle off me so I can worry about other things. Just hope the actual move and quarantine goes ok.
Let us know what you decided and if you got the cats booked in in time.
Kitty

Nicky & Dave

Cheers Kitty - will let you know what happens. Am working from home today so will get sorted out this morning.

Nicky

seasprite

[QUOTE=kitty4]Hi Nicky
we are using airpets. Can't fault them so far, all the organizing has gone smoothly, they will collect the cats, do the necessary and they fly the next day.

Hi, sorry to be rude and butt in...however, we are using Airpets too, Daisy cat is due to fly 28.10. When asked about collection they said it would be the cost of a taxi..in fact it would be a taxi! Wondered what they have siad to you? Good luck with the move everyone.

kitty4

[QUOTE=seasprite] Hi
No you're not butting in. It's good to share info with everyone in the same boat.
A Taxi
That sounds scary.
Our 4 cats get collected on 24.10 and fly on 25.10 and it's approx 3 hour drive to airpets kennels from where we are.
They haven't actually said what the collection transport is and I didn't think to ask as I assumed they would have a van and driver being a member of their staff. Oh well, it's all booked now and I'll have to hope all is ok, after all, they deal with a lot of animals and I haven't heard anything terrible to date.
Eastern Creek still haven't replied to my email about my cats medication. Looks like I'll have to phone them.
Good luck.

Nicky & Dave

[QUOTE=seasprite] Scary! :scared:Is it a special kind of pet transport taxi they use? I've now booked with Airpets too but we'll drive the cats down to Heathrow ourselves. I would feel very sorry for a poor taxi driver putting up with the vile odours my three cats make when they're in a car! Dave and I will be driving with all the windows open!

Nicky