UPS, FedEx, Airborne Express, USPS - bad guys.

Just wanted to slip an update in. I spoke with my local sales rep this afternoon and I am going to say that i am now cautiosly optomistic that this is going to be a smooth procedure. I encourage everyone out there that is concerned about this to start the process themselves. We may have actually found a reptile friendly shipper.

I received a phone call from the Nat'l sales Dept. I spoke with an Emily and she sounded like she was well aware of such wavers. She said I need to call The "Package Test Lab" at 800-633-7019.
I would then send them a sample box that would be forwarded to the Legal Dept. to approve my packaging (I am assuming that is where James Brown comes in) and I would then get a response form them and need to fax it soemwhere else to finalize the process. I know this sounds rather vague right now, but I will post more step by step descriptions of what I have to do just like I have been, as it happens.

I just got off the phone with my sales rep for FedEx. I want to say "local rep" but he is in Tennessee and I am in Florida....

Anyway, here is a copy of the email he sent me:

Rich I hope this helps...

Are they venomous or non-venomous?

If they are non-venomous, then the customer will need to send in the packaging to our Test Lab (ph #800.633.7019). Once approved, I will need a copy of the test results faxed to me at 877.203.4996.(attn: Bill Zindell)

Once we get the test results, they will issue a Reptile Waiver.
Be advised that in the waiver, the customer agrees to ship everything PO (Priority Overnight)& they waive the right to MBG (basically we are not liable for anything).


Thanks
Bill Zindell

I then called the Test Lab and the guy I talked to gave me a link to the form that is needed to be filled out and provided with the packaging sent to them for testing:

Packaging Services Application

One application needs to be provided for each type of box you will be using.

Now, I'm still hazy about what happens after this, but evidently the results (approval) are sent to the local sales rep (in my case, Bill Zindell), and I think to me as well. This approval then needs to be faxed to their legal department along with a request for a "reptile waiver". Fax number for legal is (877) 203-4996.

So, anyway, this is the process so far that I have been able to find out. I assume Brian is on the same path, as are other people as well.

BTW, Bill Zindell has offered to be a contact point for anyone needing help with this procedure. He can be reached at (800) 448-9961 x0519, which is his voice mail box. Or email him at william.zindell@fedex.com.

Things are looking up, I do believe....

About a week ago I sent Fed ex a email regarding this issue, and have yet to hear anything. So I guess Im going to restart the process going through your folks.

This being said Im going to make sure I mention this site, thread, and you in particular Rich when I speak with them. I would also suggest anyone else who starts this process does the same. This may help them realize how organzed we can be, and help show the amount of shippers this process will gain them.

Thanks for the leg work everyone, hopefully this works out well for everyone involved and helps to continue to grow the hobby.

Mickey Hinkle
The Lizard King Reptiles

I had to got through the same steps but all is smooth since then

My test boxes are on the way to FedEx's test lab. In talking to several people all long the line, I didn't have anyone even blink when I said I am shipping live harmless snakes. Maybe there has actually been a change in policy there at FedEx.

Also, when I was speaking to Bill Zindell, he confided in me that he has had snakes as pets himself, so he definitely has a positive perspective and outlook about this. However he did ask a favor of me. If YOU want to set up a FedEx account to ship your animals, go through regular channels first to contact the local sales rep in your area. That is the way you need to set up your account first before you can even address this issue about shipping snakes. If you get stonewalled or saddled with a sales rep that is uncooperative, then Bill is willing to help. But he doesn't want to get his office flooded with a lot of requests that he would just have to forward to the proper local sales reps anyway.

I also asked Bill specifically about the fears that someone out in Podunk, Alabama shipping snakes in an inappropriate manner causing us all to suffer the consquenses of that one person's actions. He said he sincerely doubted it would affect everyone, however the person causing such a problem could even be subjected to fines and legal sanctions for such an indiscretion.

To all of you who are using UPS and Airborne without a written contract specifically allowing you to ship snakes through them, I STRONGLY suggest you get on the FedEx bandwagon. If those other companies see a sudden drop in their business, just maybe the pencil pushers will start asking why and people will take notice. They need to see a loss in current business, not just a potential gain in future business to see what sort of numbers are at stake.

I will probably mention this last paragraph many more times in the future, in the hopes that it will sink in to everyone. If you are shipping via UPS or Airborne Express without their full knowledge (corporate, not just the local office), you are living on borrowed time. I suggest you start doing something about this NOW. NOW while you can do this at your leisure.

I told you all it could be done =) And as WebSlave said UPS & Airborne better jump on to FEDEX. FEDEX all the way

Tom,

Yes, it was the posts made by yourself and Dan Wedeking that gave me encouragement that we would have a way out of this box we are in without having to resort to the courts for relief.

Although I have heard from Bill Zindell that he has gotten a lot of emails about this issue, still I am surprised that this thread is not getting more attention than I believe it deserves because of the important implications it has for our entire industry. Perhaps far too many people are complacent with the status quo and willing to support those other shipping companies who are not really supporting us. Personally, I would feel much more comfortable if we had all of them ready and willing to accept snakes in shipments knowingly, giving us all more options, but until that happens, I believe that the only power we have is in numbers by voting with our business as a group.

Or maybe just the numbers of people actually interested in shipping snakes is much lower than realize. Maybe I am just suffering from a severe case of tunnel vision with this issue.

Or, perhaps infighting and indifference is more the rule than the exception in this business, so we will all be forever just a loosely connected group of renegades who can be brushed off at will by whatever businesses or political groups have an inclination to do so.

Oh well......

Or it's winter time (few shipments) and human nature is to wait until the box is sitting by the door to go to the shipper until we think about lining up our shipping options.

I for one appreciate all the work that everyone has done in posting their experiences here. I opened my account today and am hopin gto hear from my local rep within the next few days. While I don't ship shankes I will be more than happy to have another viable shipping option when (not if) UPS decides they don't want to ship reptiles anymore. Maybe once someone has completed all the steps a final, instructional post could be made to help guide people through the steps involved. Thanks again.