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

Brian I just told them it was a small business from my home. And hey never asked anything else

I called the sales manager for my area this morning and he sounded very positive and willing to help with this effort. He told me that his cousin bred reptiles and exotic birds as well. He told me that he has considered buying a ball python at one point so he is willing to help in this effort.
He is calling James Brown and the live animal desk to see what needs to be done on his end and the processes that have to be completed to make this happen. I am supposed to hear from him sometime early next week about where we stand at this point and the next step in this process.
To be continued...............

Is there others this far in the process of obtaining a waiver?

I just got off the phone with a FedEx sales rep. He said he has been with FedEx for four years and has never had this issue come up and doesn't have a clue about how to go about getting the OK for live reptile shipments.

But he is going to check into it. I went into a lot of detail about what this could mean, business-wise for FedEx and that definitely perked his ears up. He sounded VERY interested in what we are offering FedEx nationwide. BTW, my mentioning that this was a very hot thread on a message board with nearly 8,000 registered members in this industry REALLY caught his attention. He asked several questions about just this aspect of this issue in particular. I told him if this all works out, I would be perfectly willing to run a free banner ad on this site touting FedEx as the Reptile Industry Friendly Shipping Company.

He said that if this can get all straightened away, he would have no problems whatsoever being a front line contact point in FedEx for everyone to contact for this process.

Hopefully I'll know more on Monday.

Anyone now thinking they are safe and secure shipping with Airborne Express and UPS might want to think real hard about jumping on the bandwagon. I think maybe even UPS and Airborne Express catching wind of FedEx picking up a LOT of new business and they losing that business could cause them to reassess their positions on this issue as well.

Great work Rich

You know, the banner idea is briliant. Hopefully the guy will take the time to visit this site, and see the responce to this thread in particular.

This has me thinking a bit. I agree that were UPS or Airborne to realize that they were about to loose a whole market share, they may change their tune towards animal shipments. I think if we get this up and running with Fed Ex, we should at that time pool up invoices, and send them to UPS. Maybe after a month or two of shipping via Fed Ex, we could have one person be sent a ton of invoices (address blacked out would be fine I assume). Then that person could take them to His or Her UPS or Airborne sales rep, and SHOW THEM THE BUSINESS THEY HAVE LOST.

This may open the door to free competition for our business, rather then us begging to be served.

Mickey Hinkle
The LIzard King Reptiles

Another quick idea

Maybe if we are able to get the fed ex guy to be the "end of the line guy" for all of us to deal with, we would also be able to work out an industry watch dog group to work for them.

For example, if they were open to a banner idea, lest offer to take it one step further. We could offer to use this site as a policeing tool for shipping issues that would concern fed ex.

For example if someone is known to be illegally shipping hots we could inform them of such activities (not one big on narcing, but it may be time we police ourselves).

Or if a shipper is shown to be shipping in an improper fashion (i.e. no heat or cold packs, shipping on too cool of days, no insulation, ect)

Again Im not sure what if anything this would accomplish, just a idea I figured I would toss out. Its best if we cover every angle, even if we toss out more ideas then we use. By offering this "service" to a shipper, we may help them ward off any concerns they would have of improper shipments.

Mickey Hinkle
The Lizard King Reptiles

If we tell them that someone is shipping hots, they may decide that the waivers are not worth the risk of someone getting bit by one and pull out on everyones waiver.

I really don't think they as a buisness will care if someone forgets a heat pack here and there. That also opens the door for someone to call and "report" someone that they don't like or had a bad deal with.

Hell, I am still waiting for the Acct. Rep. in my area to call back. he/she was supposed to call today, I suppose it is safe to say that I will not hear anyting until Monday or so.

I agree with Mickey. I think we, as a WHOLE, will receive allot more cedibility if we police ourseoves. Like he said, and I agree, I am not a narc, but you know something, it is just a few bad apples that make the whiole bunch go bad!

Am I willing to lose because some dumba$$ does things the wrong way? I am not just talking shipping either, there are allot of issues that come to mind about why we get bad wraps.

Not to mention all the stories you hear about snakes getting lose. That shows that we (although I disagree, but can;t change the publics mind) that we are careless and irresponsible. How these stories make it to the news blows me away.

With that said, have I ever had a snake get out? SURE! But how one is found in the streets, neighbors yard, local pond, etc. is beyond me. I was just reading today, on one of tghese sites, where a Burm was hit by a car and lived!!!! Apparently the owner let it lose and live in the garage. Now THAT is smart!
If I run acorss the story again, I will post the link if Webslave does not mind.

That is just nuts hell he may walk in garage and Burm think he is food......GOODBYE HUMAN

Here is the link, I found it.

You will have to read down a couple posts to where he explains the garage part OR you can take my word on it. Does not say much about it,just states that it was housed in the garage. It was hit when the family pulled in their garage. That makes it even sillier. You house a snake in a garage and still use it to park your car?!?!?!

People are just idiots, sorry.

http://www.bobclark.com/bcforums/top...=Picture+Forum

Quote by Evan Stahl:

As far as decisions go, there may be some to be made, but just as nobody else would, I do not want or need anyone else to decide that due to their frustrations with their situation, I can no longer do business as I do.

Fair enough, Evan. I am sure a lot of other people who are not currently having shipping problems are thinking the same thing. Heck, I felt the same way until I had the rug pulled out from under me. I had other battles higher on the priority list to be fighting.

But on the flip side of that coin, when YOUR state legislature is causing you grief with laws that affect YOU, how about not trying to solicit help from us folks in other states who don't have to worry about YOUR problems right now? Yeah, maybe we will in the future, just as you may face shipping problems in the future, but we have other issues to worry about instead, and we don't need to rock the boat over here. Especially if it isn't an immediate necessity to us. So certainly since your problems are not now our problems, we don't have the time to help you fight your battles either.

I do hope you see what I am driving at here, Evan. Just as I hope a lot of other people understand as well.