More Relocation Prep-Work

Today I had to do more Relocation Prep-Work. I started off with the stuff that involves Daisy. Tried to get a hold of the relocation specialist, but only could get his voice mail. So I left him a message to call my cell. I know right now is a very busy time for those guys, so I decided to send him in email as well detailing a couple of things that haven't been entirely finalized. It has mostly to do that I have now finalized Daisy's Travel Date: she will be leaving on August 17th. Still have to work out the details on when exactly she will be picked up on that day. But there are still 2 additional items that I need to to deal with:

I need to figure out if the 9-digit MicroChip is sufficient or if Daisy needs a new MicroChip. Should the second case scenario arise, Daisy needs to be 're-chiped' and since there are a little over 3 month time to do so...that's not of immediate concern. The more urgent matter is the 'TimeTable' of what things (regarding the health certificates and paper work) have to be done by what deadline. Im not concerned about the paper work that has to be compiled form now till the travel date. I'm way more concerned with the paper work that can only be issued within the last 2 weeks before the travel date. That will require me to draw up a kind of 'battle plan' regarding that time table.

Next on the agenda was to order Daisy's IATA approves Transport Crate. That should have been a straight forward task, since I had already done the entire research on that subject and re-confirmed with the pet relocation agent that I had chosen the right crate. Well, nothing is as it appears to be. I was ready to order when I see what they want from me for the metal hardware for the crate...twice the amount that it is actually worth. That would have left a sour taste, but wouldn't be enough to change crate providers. The next thing I saw was what they want from me in shipping costs. I almost fell off my office chair!! They wanted to have almost $ 150 for the delivery of $ 150 in merchandise. That I was really unhappy about that was an understatement!! So I spent the next 1 1/2 hours looking for a different provider for that travel crate or one that is similar in size and IATA approved. Talking to the associate of the bigger pet store chains is really an ordeal. Some of them don't really know what they're talking about...then there are others who take forever to look up the information...and of course than are those, where you think you're talking to a nitwit.

While all that was going on I was googling the crate and checked out several different providers. I finally found a company that had the crate I wanted at a reasonable price. Since the total amount of the order exceeded $ 100 they actual Fedex Ground Shipping will only cost me about 5 bucks!! The total amount of the order is now $ 124 and that's quite a bargain compared to the 300 bucks of the other provider! So I placed the order and by doing so I can at least mark the crate off my To-Do-List! I still have to buy the metal hard ware and the better crate pad, but that doesn't have to be right away and shouldn't cost me an arm and a leg in shipping costs.

I had hoped that by 2 pm I would already be working on the details of the relocation timeline... not quite sure if I will get that done today.