FYI to fedex users

http://www.local6.com/news/3905543/detail.html

Someone sent me that link tonight. What the story doesn't say is if Fedex opened the box themselves, and if they did, why did they open it.

I would have to guess that the shipper wasn't verified with the FedEx live reptile shipping program.

I have been shipping ball pythons with FedEx's new program for several months now and everyone there has been extremely helpful and aware of what I am shipping.

Before I ship to/thru a station that I've never used before, my sales rep will even give them a call to let them know whats coming so that there are no surprises.

It's a little bit of work to get verified, but well worth it.

-adam

I KNOW HIM PERSONALLY AND HE WAS A VERIFIED SHIPPER VIA FED EX. THE PROBLEM CAME BECAUSE HE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO USE HIS ACOUNT NUMBER AND PAY FOR THE BOX AT THE FED EX LOCATION. THE REASON HE WANTED TO DO THIS WAS BECAUSE THE CREDIT CARD ATTACHED TO HIS FED EX ACOUNT WAS MAXED OUT . AND SEEING AS HE WANTED TO PAY WITH ANOTHER CARD THEY WOULD NOT ALLOW HIM TO USE HIS ACOUNT NUMBER SO HE DID NOT. 2 HOURS LATER THEY CALLED HIM AND TOLD HIM TO PICK UP HIS BOX THAT THEY WOULD NOT SHIP IT. IT SEEMS THAT THE MANAGER AT THE MIRIMAR LOCATION USED HIS PERSONAL FEARS TO MAKE HIS DECISIONS AND SEEING AS IT WAS AFTER 9PM EST THERE WAS NO WAY FOR THE SHIPPER TO CONTACT HIS SERVICE REP. THE BOX WAS SEALED CORRECTLY AND SECURE WHEN HE PICKED IT UP SO HE HAS NO IDEA WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, BUT HE HAS MADE SURE TO VOICE HIS OPINION TO HIS SERVICE REP AND SEVERAL HIGHER UP MANAGERS AND IS CURENTLY SPEAKING WITH AN ATTORNEY. APARENTLY WHAT IS BOTHERING HIM THE MOST IS THAT THE FED EX MANAGER AT THE LOCATION TOOK IT APON HIMSELF TO NOTIFY THE LOCAL NEWS FOR WHAT REASON WE REALLY DONT KNOW BUT OUR GUESS IS IN A ATTEMPT TO CREATE NEGITIVE PUBLICITY TWOARD MY BUDDIES BUSINESS AND NATURALLY THE NEWS DIDNT USE MY BUDDY EXPLAINING THE SITUATION THEY DID HOW EVER USE THE FOOTAGE OF THE BIG BAD DANGEROUSE 2FT COLOMBIAN BOA (WHICH THEY LABELED AS A DANGEROUSE BREED OF PYTHON) WELL THATS THE WHOLE STORY DO WITH IT WHAT YOU WILL
JOHN PERAZA

Ugh, the caps lock is difficult to read.

That's too bad. It seems like with less and less people doing reptile education these days, more and more people are fearful of snakes.

Eventually, all the shipping companies are going to start opening their boxes, and then were will shippers be?

When doing a drop off at one of the locations I always brought my copy of the contract.

If I was your friend and the story went down the way you presented it I would contact the sales rep with information concerning what the manager did. I would explain how this (the news story) makes our industry look irresponsible. I would threaten (and with me it would be more than a threat) to pull my account unless disciplinary (sp?) action was brought on the manager.

I had a similar thing happen to me with UPS. I am certified to ship leopard geckos and brought the paperwork with me when I dropped it off. I got a call two hours later from the main UPS place in Minneapolis telling me they had opened the box and needed my paperwork before they would ship. I had to email my paperwork to them, and even then the person expressed concerns about shipping the animal. After assuring her that the animal would be ok they shipped it.

Agrivating.

Regards,

Terry

This is getting stupid...
Ive from everyone and their mothers they've had a shipment opend, returned, or delayed.
Shipping companies should view paperwork at time of the beginning of transit, be it home pick up or drop off.
Then the package should be deemed shipable, or not based on lack of paperwork.
Then not tampered with, all throughout shipping.