'Lead' Stories

'Flying' Tree Kangaroo comes to Melbourne for Zoo’s breeding program

Jet Pets' Adam Stammers meets two of Melbourne Zoo's Tree Kangaroos

Talk of studbooks and international breeding programs is usually associated with the horse racing industry, particularly as spring racing fever descends on Australia, but at Melbourne Zoo it’s the Tree Kangaroo that’s the subject of discussion.

Maintaining diversity in gene pools is an essential challenge for ensuring the health and well-being of all captive zoo animals.

For Timi, the ‘stud’ at the centre of Melbourne Zoo’s Tree Kangaroo breeding program, finding a suitable female has involved transporting a six-year-old all the way from the United States.

Tree Kangaroos are exchanged domestically about two to three times a year but much more rarely overseas.

The Tree Kangaroo was born in Cleveland and was transported to Melbourne via Los Angeles in late September as part of an international captive breeding program for this species.

Jet Pets assisted in making this a smooth and safe trip by arranging the arrival formalities through the various Australian government authorities.

The stopover in Los Angeles is a standard and essential part of transporting all animals from the United States as it provides a comfort stop for the animal in preparation for the long flight to Australia.

Adam receives some friendly attention

“Even though the Tree Kangaroo is from a zoo, they are still wild animals and don’t have any where near the level of human contact as a pet does,” Jet Pets’ Adam Stammers said.

“This means lots of TLC must be provided during their transport and clearance at their destination to make sure they arrive not just safely but also happy and healthy.”

Melbourne Zoo’s newest Tree Kangaroo will now spend 30 days in quarantine before joining her new friends and, especially, Timi.

Lorraine Jolly, Life Sciences Specialist at Zoos Victoria, said that animal breeding programs rely on the exchange of animals interstate and around the globe.

“Ensuring the prompt, safe and reliable transport of these animals is an essential part of this successful process," she said.

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Cats lose GF but win at PetRescue

The Geelong Cats didn’t take home the prize in September but not-for-profit animal charity, PetRescue, did, thanks to a handy donation from the Jet Pets’ employee of the month scheme.

PetRescue makes winners out of all kinds of pets, including cats and dogs, by helping to find them new homes when they are lost or have been abandoned.

The Jet Pets’ scheme gives the Jet Pets’ employee of the month an opportunity to give back to the pet community with a $750 donation to the charity of their choice.

Chelsea Consiglio, the inaugural winner and August’s employee of the month, didn’t hesitate in selecting PetRescue.

“PetRescue were the first people I thought of as I know they are a not-for-profit organisation that relies purely on donations,” Chelsea said.

“Vickie, Shel and JB at PetRescue donate their time to home abandoned and unwanted animals. It’s nice to give something back.”

Chelsea has been with Jet Pets for just more than one year and is a part of the domestic consultant team. Her role involves direct contact with Jet Pets’ clients in order to book and facilitate pet transport throughout Australia.

Jet Pets is already a great supporter of PetRescue, helping them fly rescued pets to new homes around Australia. This support has seen dozens of lives saved this year.

To find out more about the great work PetRescue are doing, visit their website.

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Pet Peregrinations

Parlez-vous bark et meow?

Jet Pets deals with a few unusual requests that challenge their ingenuity but a recent move of two dogs tested the linguistic skills of Erin McLeish.

International jet setting Labradors, Pancake and Noisette, moved from Australia to Japan, but Erin had to deliver all her instructions to the dogs in French – the language the owners used at home.

Pancake, Noisette, and two cats, Frimousse and Kiwi, travelled from Melbourne to Tokyo with a comfort stop on the way in Sydney.

Erin had, by coincidence, met the four pets when she purchased a lawnmower from the owner, Corrine, on eBay.

“I finally got my partner to agree to buy a lawnmower. When we went to collect it, I noticed Corrine had removal boxes and we got chatting about moving pets internationally,” Erin said.

“It turned out that Jet Pets was doing the move and I spoke with Corrine for about an hour and was able to reassure her about many aspects of the move. The next day at work, by coincidence, I was handed Corrine’s file.”

Part of the instructions in the file included that the dogs needed to be spoken to in French.

“I used the word ‘panier’ (pa knee ay) to ask them to go into their travel crates.”

“Corrine also said that if you want them to come the best word is ‘yummy’.

“They are definitely Labradors.”

Erin has been with Jet Pets for eight months and works as an international consultant.

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Dogs hit the slopes

One of Australia’s more unique sporting events is held annually in the Victorian snowfields – unique because the stars of the event are sled dogs.

The ADVANCE sled dog challenge has growing international renown. As a reflection of this, this year Jet Pets assisted with the return home of four very special competitors – Tasha, Skippy, Maxmus and Buddy.

The Alaskan dogs travelled back to Christchurch, New Zealand with their sled musher (owner/sled driver) Darren Watson, who won the 8km long, six-dog class.

The ADVANCE sled dog challenge is held at Dinner Plain, in the Victorian High Country.

Traditionally Siberian Huskies, Alaskan Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes are used but there are a few hounds and Labradors in some of the teams.

More than 70 mushers and in excess of 350 sled dogs competed in this year’s event.

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Tips for keeping your pets cool this Summer

Taking a few simple precautions can ensure both you and your pets have a comfortable and enjoyable summer.

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Staff Profile

Name: Michael Ellis

Position: Co-ordinator for Victoria

Your role at Jet Pets (a day in the life of:)
To organise the day to day pick ups and deliveries for our customers. I co-ordinate all of the runs for our drivers to ensure they are where they need to be on time and I am in regular contact with our interstate co-coordinators to assist them with any travel crates or help they may need.

You are the go to person for:
The consultants and the drivers. I take enquiries from the consultants to ensure we can fit in last minute deliveries and also take any orders for custom crates in case we have a larger than usual pet travelling. I am also the contact point for the drivers should they have any issues whilst they’re out on the road.

Most memorable moment at Jet Pets:
Travelling to Thailand for a familiarisation tour of the pet facilities at Bangkok’s new airport.

What pets (if any) do you have at home, what are their names and do they have any quirky behaviours?
I have a Shih Tzu called Oscar who is an escape artist and
a Blue Tongued Lizard called Lenny who is very placid.

What is your favourite Jet Pets Destination?
Bangkok.

If you came back as an animal or pet, what sort would you be, who would you want to belong to and why?
I would be a Horse and I would want to belong to Lloyd Williams…after all he only owns the cream of the crop!

Who is your favourite famous pet or animal and why?
Rin Tin Tin – Any dog that can save an Apache Indian from a burning teepee has got my vote.

If you were going to name a sporting team after an animal, what would it be?
The Airedale Terriers – basketball team.

Who’s better in a pinch, Lassie or Skippy and why?
Skippy – he’s an Aussie Icon.

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Quick Paws

Crickey, did you say a 3m croc?

Jet Pets’ Western Australia manager Angus Matheson recounts a recent job for the state’s aquarium.

“We’d had a couple of jobs for AQWA (WA aquarium) (two seals from Queensland and some marine fish), when we got a call from them asking if we could fly crocodiles. I asked them what size they were and where they needed to go.

With the information gathered, I rang the airline to book in their flight. I told the airline that we had three one metre crocs to move.

The girl on the other end of the phone did a back flip and said “Crickey we can’t take a 3m croc!” Once she’d got back off the floor, I then explained to her that we had “three one metre crocs” not a three metre croc!”

She is now well known in the airline’s office as “Miss Irwin” and still lets go with a few ‘Crickeys’ here and there.

The crocs were sent from Kununurra, which is in far North-West WA, to the Perth Aquarium. Once they get a little bigger we will fly them up to Malcolm Douglas’s croc farm in Broome to live out their days. Maybe then the airline will have three three metre crocs on their hands.”