Pet transport between Spain and UK under scrutiny

PUBLISHED: January 7, 2013 at 4:53 pm • LAST EDITED: January 7, 2013 at 9:03 pm
Andalucia, Lead • 4 Comments

• Pet dog, Wasabi, died during transportation with Pet Taxi

By Frances Leate

CALLS for a change in legislation have been made following a series of horrifying pet deaths during transportation between Spain and the UK.

Pet courier business, Animal Express has joined forces with the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and Britain’s Road Haulage Association (RHA) in a bid to set up a trade association that will improve current legislation.

It comes after the Olive Press reported on the sad death of pet dog Wasabi last summer.

The pug died from heat exhaustion while in the care of Torre del Mar-based company, Pet Taxi. Seven other pets also on the journey were handed over to the RSPCA once they arrived in the UK.

Animal Express owner Dan Coughlan, who has worked in the freight business for more than 20 years, said: “The existing ‘other species’ rules that currently cover dog and cat transport are wholly inadequate.

“Certain companies are actively ignoring legislation such as the five to one rule, which states there must be one person present for every five animals.

“We need to make sure all companies are following the rules.”

DEFRA has now asked expats in Spain to check all pet transport companies follow the correct procedures.

Did you like this? Share it:

Reader Comments »

Amy

January 11th, 2013 6:14 pm

Its not over yet – Beware PET TAXI is still operating

Dianne Lunt

January 11th, 2013 7:22 pm

Thank you to the Olive Press for helping us to expose this terrible man, Jeremy Griffiths, the owner of Pet Taxi. Despite efforts of many people he continues to offer pet transport, we lost our darling Wasabi and would do anything to make sure that nobody else beleives this man (he is very convincing) and passes care of their beloved pets to him or his family. The authorities in the UK have been excellent and are continuing to try to stop him, my bank Santander also have done everything they can, recovering the monies I paid to him by credit card for the journey And the further monies that he took from my card after the death of Wasabi. Please if anyone else out there can help, please please do

James Middleton

March 30th, 2013 9:52 am

As I responded on the other comment, I thought it would be rude not to respond to these ones.

As I’ve said before, I heard about this and saw you dog in the OWVH office in Torre del Mar and was disgusted with the state of the animal. Not only was he massively over-weight but the amount of fleas that where coming off him was unreal. They were climbing up the wall and all over the floor. It amazes me how people can let animals get that way. I also heard from the report that it was a collapsed trachea – common with over weight pugs. Don’t get me wrong, it was a shame what happened to him but after seeing him and hearing the story afterwards I think the blame lies in more than one place here – don’t you think. Maybe it’s guilt that has seen you publish this story so many places around the web.

I would also like to remind you that it was a very good friend of mine, Jon who rang you up from Calais at the vets and spoke to your friend to ask how to go about the autopsy. What is upsetting is that the man who called you (his name is Jon if you remember) was incredible distraught about the situation as he had walked Wasabi no more than an hour before hand. They had stopped at Ruffec and then continued to the hotel at Poitiers.

I can understand how upsetting it can be to lose a beloved pet but posted what can only be described as blatant, spiteful lies does nothing to help anyone.

dianne lunt

March 30th, 2013 7:25 pm

Who do you think you are? Jeremy Griffiths or James Middleton or one in the same?! How dare you speak about our poor Wasabi in that way and why, after 8 months do you suddenly feel the need to do so? If you really had anything to say, why not then …. and who the hell is Jon who supposedly rang us from Calais to ‘ask how to go about the autopsy’?! We arranged that vet to meet your unfit transport after much much insistence on our part to try at the very least find out what had really happened to Wasabi. Whoever you are, you have no right to say such lies, you should crawl back from where you came. Our family will never get over the loss of such a loyal and faithful pet, he did nothing to deserve his death, nor did we … I really dont know how you live with yourself or how you sleep at night.

Messages will be moderated or deleted if they:
• Are considered likely to disrupt, provoke, attack or offend others
• Are racist, sexist, homophobic, sexually explicit, abusive or otherwise objectionable
• Contain swear words or other language likely to offend
• Break the law or condone or encourage unlawful activity. This includes breach of copyright, defamation and contempt of court
• Advertise products or services for profit or gain
• Are seen to impersonate someone else
• Include contact details such as phone numbers, postal or email addresses
• Describe or encourage activities which could endanger the safety or well-being of others

Back to the Top