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  • 2020.10
  • Issue 528

Taking a Closer Look at Complaints Against Pet Services Injured or Dead Pets Left Owners Heartbroken

Taking a Closer Look at Complaints Against Pet Services Injured or Dead Pets Left Owners Heartbroken

Many people treat their beloved pets as part of the family and are willing to pay for the best services for them. However, if pet owners do not select the right service provider, their pets may end up enduring unnecessary harm and pain. Nowadays pet shops provide a wide range of services. In addition to buying / selling pets and pet grooming services, a number of them have recently launched "pet relocation" services catering for people who have immigration plans. The Consumer Council (or the “Council”) has received complaints regarding pet services, which have demonstrated that the quality of hyphenated  related businesses varies considerably. For example, a pet relocation service provider not only failed to reunite a pet owner with his pets, but also reported on the death of the pets to the owner. Consumers should be cautious about the subscription of pet services.

Conclusions

As can be seen from the cases above, the service providers had all acted irresponsibly to some degree. In the Case 1, the company only issued a simple handwritten receipt after receiving the payment, and verbally committed to the consignment date. It had failed to provide specific details relating to the pet relocation service, such as the application of the requisite import / export document(s) and purchase of air tickets, etc. Furthermore, asking the customer to deposit additional payment into a staff member’s personal account was also unusual. After making the payment, the complainant was looking forward to be reunited with his pets but ended up losing 2 pets instead. How the company had treated the 3 pets remained dubious.  After enduring for the loss, the poor complainant still had to spend time and effort on legal process to seek redress.

 

Currently, the rules and regulations in Hong Kong only require all dogs over the age of 5 months to be microchipped, vaccinated against rabies and licensed. Because the kitten in the Case 2 was not required to be microchipped, the complainant could only rely on the description, receipts, and vaccination record card provided by the company. Out of trust, the complainant did not suspect that the pet might have been switched. Receipts and vaccination record cards are important proofs for identifying the pets, and it is the pet shop´s responsibility to ensure that these documents and information are correct. If the information does not match the pet being sold, the pet shop may have violated the TDO.

 

Pets are living beings that deserve respect, and they should not be treated as mere commodities. Companies running pet-related businesses should act responsibly towards the pets and the owners.  They should not only focus on profits and ignore reasonable service quality. Money may not be adequate to compensate for any injury or death caused by a company’s malpractice or negligence. The Council has repeatedly reminded pet shops / companies to uphold good business ethics and to show respect and care towards the pets.

 

Pet owners shoulder the responsibility of caring for their pets for life. They should be extremely cautious with good standing and reputation, and pay attention to the following areas:

 

  • Check the procedures of pet relocation in advance: Consumers do not have to rely on service providers but to handle the pet relocation process by themselves. The relevant procedures will depend on the animal import regulations of the destination, which vary from country to country. Whether using a third party service provider or handling on their own, consumers should check the local animal import requirements through official channels, including health and vaccination documents, quarantine period (if any) upon arrival, etc. AFCD can issue or endorse Animal Health Certificates. You can visit the AFCD’s website for further information:

           https://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/quarantine/qua_ie/qua_ie_eapao/qua_ie_eapao.html

 

  • Research thoroughly and set aside adequate preparation time:  Consumers who intend to relocate with their pets should make arrangements well in advance. In addition to the time required to process documents, consumers also need to arrange air transportation for the pets. Not all flights allow pets on board. You must check with the airlines on pet slots and transportation requirements beforehand. Some airlines may prescribe the specifications of pet travel crates, and may prohibit certain species on board based on safety considerations.

 

  • Documents and contracts must be clear and don’t rely on verbal promises: Pet relocation process involve many procedures. Consumers and the company engaged for such service should enter into a written contract that clearly set out the service items, estimated processing time for each procedure, and arrangement for failed consignment.  If a company demands additional fees or deposits into a personal account after a contract has been entered into, the consumer should evaluate the request carefully and ask for an official receipt even if agreeing to such requests.

 

  • Arrange a check-up with a veterinarian when buying pets: Reports of pet shops selling sick cats and dogs appear from time to time. It is not easy for consumers to determine the health status of the pets and young pets are also more prone to sickness. Consumers should consider adopting instead of buying. If they decide to buy pets, they should only go to licensed pet shops, and check if there is any guarantee period, and enquire about the terms on refund and exchange. AFCD suggests consumers to check the cleanliness and mental condition of the pets before making any purchase, and to check and verify information on their vaccination record cards carefully. After the purchase, consumers are advised to arrange for a checkup with a registered veterinarian to ascertain the health status of the pets and to verify if the sex, breed, and age, etc. are consistent with the vaccination record cards. Consumers should contact the pet shops immediately if there are any issues. 

 

  • Check the pets’ physical conditions after grooming: Pet grooming involves procedures such as bathing, haircut and nail trimming. Groomers can inflict injuries on pets if they are not careful. After pet grooming services, consumers should check the bodies of their pets carefully. If there are signs of injury or abnormal behaviour, consumers should notify the companies immediately and tell them if the pets need any medical treatments from veterinarians. Consumers should retain the medical certificates and receipts properly as proof in case of disputes.