Covid-19 Policy
As expected we are experiencing a very busy November, partly due to the recent announcement of a month long lockdown. Many people who had intended to collect their own puppies and kittens are now turning to pet couriers. A number of customers have queried whether we can continue to operate during the lockdown. As a result I thought it would be good to do a blog post setting out our Covid-19 policy.
Covid-19 – Open As Usual
During the first lockdown in March there was some initial confusion about whether pet transporters could carry on working. The term ‘key worker’ was being applied to health professionals and supermarket workers. Delivery drivers working for the likes of Amazon and DPD continued working as normal but those of us delivering pets wanted some clarification. Could we argue that our work constituted an ‘essential journey’?
Quite quickly the likes of The Kennel Club published some advice. They stated that people should not collect their own puppies. Instead the breeder could deliver them or a pet courier could be used. This new lockdown seems slightly less strict. The advice is still that people should only leave home for essential journeys but going to work falls within the definition. We carry our DEFRA certificate in our vehicles just in case we are stopped by the police and asked the nature of our journey.
The number of enquiries increased greatly following the second lockdown announcement. We appreciate that for many people it’s a stressful time. PetsA2B will do all we can to help with your pet transport needs, working extra hours if required. Our rates remain unchanged too, we will not take advantage of the situation by charging more just because demand will outstrip supply.
Covid-19 – Other Important Points
There is no evidence that Coronavirus can be transmitted between humans and pets. However we do take hygiene very seriously. At the end of each day our cages and pet carriers are cleaned. We understand that puppies have weaker immune systems and until they have had both vaccinations should not really mix with other pets from outside the home. We specialise in solo trips which customers often ask for. We offer these both to limit contact with other pets but also because we feel it’s in the interest of the puppy or kitten to limit the number of unnecessary stops and journey time where possible.
When meeting pet owners and breeders we are happy to follow whatever rules you have in place in relation to pet handovers. It’s not difficult to maintain social distancing in this job and we always carry masks in the vehicles. We also wash hands regularly and carry hand sanitiser.
We hope that this answers any questions you might have but if not don’t hesitate to contact us.
