Pet Transportation Bidding or Pet Transportation Market Place Grey Areas

As a pet transportation companies, we hear complaints about pet transporation bidding/market places.  These websites cover themselves very well but often use very loose language.  This loose language often leads to more questions to be asked by anyone that is serious about keeping their pet safe, secure and healthy on their pet's trip.  

Here is an example: 

a Self proclaimed number one ranked Pet market place for pet transportation providers states on a help pages "The Booking Fee is the only required upfront cost " taken from the below example.

Example of Pet Shipping Booking Fees

Let's say you need to transport your dog from San Diego, CA to Houston, TX, the total mileage for this shipment is 1471 miles. Looking at the table above, we see that this shipment is in the 1,251-1,500 mileage bin. That means the Booking Fee is $179.99. Your total would be $179.99 plus the driver's fee.

• The Booking Fee is the only required upfront cost — you’ll be charged $179.99 immediately.
• You'll pay the driver as previously agreed upon.

The issue isn't a problem with people that educate themselves and read this part carefully.  However, some people say "Their website said, The booking fee is the only required upfront cost; I am paying on delivery"  The pet transportation provider replies "Are you going to be on the recieving end"  The client that placed the order on the website responds "No, I am done with this dog, its going to new owners."  The driver then suspects a possible issue because the person that placed the order is now putting it in the hands of someone else, which means a payment might not even be recieved.  Perhaps the client never met the person at the other end.  

Because of the above situration, always follow Pet transportation companies that follow USDA APHIS AWA Bluebook Guidelines.  The guideline is clear in Section H of https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/ac_bluebook_awa_508_comp_version.pdf

Which states "(H) Prohibition of C.O.D. arrangements for transportation of animals in commerce; exceptions No intermediate handler or carrier involved in the transportation of any animal in commerce shall participate in any arrangement or engage in any practice under which the cost of such animal or the cost of the transportation of such animal is to be paid and collected upon delivery of the animal to the consignee, unless the consignor guarantees in writing the payment of transportation charges for any animal not claimed within a period of 48 hours after notice to the consignee of arrival of the animal, including, where necessary, both the return transportation charges and an amount sufficient to reimburse the carrier for all out-of-pocket expenses incurred for the care, feeding, and storage of such animals. "