ComplaintsforPet Transport by Linda

• Initial Complaint

  10/18/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Linda was paid $850 to safely transport a cat from *********** **** to ********** **. She was given this money in advance as she requested. She did not safely transport the cat, as she let the cat escape upon arrival. She did not follow protocol or instructions and opened her door to let a terrified rescue BBC at escape, who will likely die now he is in a strange area. She refused to answer messages and inform what happened, instead calling someone else to have them tell us she claims she was in an accident on the WAY to the drop off. Now she is refusing a refund or even partial refund, saying because she was in an accident she might lose her car. As of now there is no proof of this, and even so, it has nothing to do with her not following protocol. Her website states she treats all transports like her own and provides photos, she did not. I want a refund.

  Business response

  10/27/2022

  ****** ****** WAS refunded the entire $850 for this transport. ****** ****** was not initial contact for this situation but just the american side money person. I followed all protocols for a cat transport but was only told about the cat being a potential flight risk at the time of pick up. My van was also involved with a very bad accident involving a semi truck that morning. I purchased also a humane cage & food to trap the cat. I live in **** & had to get back home. I couldnt spend the rest of my life in ** trapping this cat. It was a bad auto accident with a cat & I am so sorry. Never had an accident or lost a cat till now & these few people are trying to ruin my business. I almost lost my life also that day & not one of them asked how I am doing. I am suffering also from ptsd and bruising. I am sooo sorry about what happened but I did everything I could under the circumstances. I was never told that this cat was a flight risk until I picked kit up. I have asked my original contact ******* to contact me over the phone to get correct info on what happened but she refuses. She is getting miss information from the lady that was suppose to get the cat in **. Not once have I spoke to ****** about this cat, just through email on how to get my payment to me. I have only emailed someone called ******* & the original person who had the cat named *** ******.

  Customer response

  10/28/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, reasons for rejection are included below.
  
  

  1) Linda was told by both *** and another resident *****, from while she picked up the cat, that he had crate anxiety  

  2) the adopter, ****** also informed her of this and requested an in car transfer, meaning NO vehicle door would be opened  this is standard protocol with transporting an animal when it cannot be brought into a home  

  3) Linda neglected to tell us, her payors, that the accident had occurred. 
  4) Linda neglected to tell us, her payors, that the cat escaped. 
  5) Linda neglected to respond to her payors after multiple messages for hours, until she randomly called *** who was not a payor to tell him what happened. 
  6) Linda has failed to take accountability for her negligence, as seen in her response here stating false information instead of an actual apology

  7) Linda decided to remove her ******** review section once we left her a bad review about our experience.  However, she is still claiming 100% satisfaction on her website.  You cannot take away the right to review when something bad happens just because you want to continue to misrepresent her business  

  8) Linda did not offer a** refund for days after we asked until I filed the complaint  But yes we have received a refund  

  9) This cat is still missing and has cost almost $1000 additional dollars in expenses so far to try and catch  it has been traumatic for the cat, the adopter, and the payors with what happened.  We have volunteers working hours to try to trap and do flyers and food round the clock to try to rescue him and rectify what happened  

  no one is trying to put a**one out of business  but one should not have to pay for a botched service, and then have to pay extra to rectify that.  We should not be blocked from leaving a review and she should not be allowed to claim something she’s not  see attached 

  
  
  Regards,
  
  ****** ******
  

  Business response

  10/31/2022

  This unfortunately was a horrible ACCIDENT. This is my only incident in the ma** years that I have been doing this, you can check with the BBB. I had no written or oral info before hand that this cat would possibly escape until I picked up the cat. Like I said previously, if I would of known, I would have had the owners put a snug collar on it and then attached to a collar outside the crate, or, had owners supply the crate and kept cat in crate entire time of trip. The owners only had a crate the size of the cat which would of been in-humane for a 10 hr. drive. ****** was only the money source on the US side & I have had no conversations with her before the transport about this cat. ****** was refunded the $850 transport fee in which the money went through back on 10-14-2022. I still feel horrible over this incident and have apologized profusely to the two parties involved in which she wasnt one of them. I am still in contact with the original owner in which he has been giving me updates on the cats current status. My car is still in the collision shop in ** in which I will be lucky to have by the end of the year from the semi truck hitting me. The owners did a great thing trying to help this cat in which the local shelter wouldnt take in but outside of spending hours there trying to help on the other end to try to find the cat, purchasing a cage/trap to try to trap the cat with food, offering to call local shelters and places of business around there to help from out of state in which I offered,*** *** didnt suggest a**thing else for me to do. *** *** was the original contact. ****** is on a mission to destroy my business thats why I had to remove my comment section on **. She is having random people she knows trying to put bad reviews on there. I even got a private message saying "wait till all the bad reviews come in". I dont need threats on top of everything else I am going through. I am still suffering with PTSD and bruising. The original owner has accepted my sincere apology Im not sure what else I am suppose to do with this 3rd party person.... 

  Customer response

  11/10/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, reasons for rejection are included below.

  I am not sure where to begin to respond to this unprofessional conduct and dramatic ranting. No one is trying to put a**one out of business. No one has ever threatened Linda. This is not a calm exchange for resolution like should be and that was wanted and is getting a bit absurd. 
  
  
  1) Linda was informed by three different people, including the adopter, the cat was a flight risk.  Also of the cats living situation and how desperately we needed this transport.  THIS IS IRRELEVANT  to how you handle a cat transport.   
  2) Negligence occurred when Linda had the carrier open and then proceeded to open her car door. This is NOT protocol, NOT professional—regardless of the animal!! This is not an ‘accident’ it is negligence and something she has never acknowledged. This should never be the actions of a professional and certified pet transporter
  3) Linda claims she has apologized but has not, and is still not, taking accountability for her negligence. The negligence and mishandling did not occur during or because of the vehicle accident. While we are sympathetic it occurred, the following actions by Linda negated a** concern we had regarding that, unfortunately. 
  4) Linda did not live up to her claims on the website of staying in touch and providing photos during transport, or else all involved would have been alerted both the vehicle accident occurred and the escape happened. She also would not have avoided multiple messages after we were aware for six hours. This is false advertising. 
  5) ONE review was left on Linda’s ******** page regarding this incident and was immediately deleted by her and the option to review taken down.  *** *** left the review and that was her right. No one else did. To my knowledge no one else has said a**thing to her. 
  6) while a refund was given after filing this complaint and then messages returned, Linda has cost us an additional $1,000 in order to find the cat she let escape. We had to start a gofundme but have not been able to recoup that or compensate (in addition to the $1,000 mentioned) the people that spend hundreds of hours searching for the cat. 
  
  
  I am not interested in arguing this a**more, as Linda clearly is not going to take accountability for her negligence. 
  There is no ‘mission to destroy her business’.  Her website is misleading and inaccurate and should reflect the truth. 
  She cannot get mad ONE honest review was left for something that was her fault.
  
  
  RESOLUTION:  At this time, resolution would involve reimbursement for the additional expenses she created (receipts can be provided for all for exact amount plus labor or we can negotiate a settlement), removing false information from her website, and/or reinstating the review section on her ******** page so ONE review can be left. 
  
  
  We are simply asking for professional transparency and honesty, so future customers are aware of what happened and can make an informed decision on using her service. Just like A** other business or product.  What should have been a simple grievous complaint where the owner of a business apologizes and takes accountability has turned into this mess and should not be allowed to continue further. 
  
  
  PLEASE NOTE: She claims she and I were not in touch regarding this transport yet is also claiming I’m having people put random reviews and sending her threatening messages to put her out of business. This is not true and if she continues with this slander, legal action will be sought.  I do not take these accusations lightly and wish for this matter to be closed ASAP. If that is what I wanted I would not be seeking resolution through the BBB.   
  
  
  Please advise what steps can be taken to reach compensation and resolution in this matter expeditiously. 
  
  
  Thank you. 

  Regards,
  

  
  ****** ******
  

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩