Get to Know a PetRelocation Specialist: Meet Penney!

Penney, PetRelocation Vendor Coordinator

Update: Back in 2014 we published an Employee Profile of Penney, who worked as a Pet Relocation Specialist at the time. Since then Penney has stepped over to the role of Vendor Coordinator and will be helping us find and approve trustworthy pet agents around the world!

Here's her original interview:

What's it like to be a professional pet shipper, and who are the hard-working team members making all these incredible experiences happen?

She's one of our newer employees and has already proven to have the integrity, dedication and love for pets required to do this job well. Here's what Penney had to say about her PetRelocation experiences so far.

How did you end up at PetRelocation? Did you ever think you’d have a job that involved pet shipping?

I didn't even realize there were jobs involving pet shipping! When leaving my job with an art company that I loved (back in California), I had a hard time figuring out what direction to take. Luckily, I found PetRelocation which, similarly, is a small company doing really big things. I felt like finding a place where I could help solve problems for people (by helping their pets) was a golden opportunity for me. PetRelocation is a unique place that I feel lucky to be a part of.

Penney's dog Edie

What were your biggest surprises during the first few days and weeks on the job?

I was blown away by the amount of tiny details that must be considered with everything! For example, to book a flight for a pet, we must consider the species and breed of the pet; temperature, holidays, and breed bans of origin and destination; time of year; size of the pet; layover time; cargo office hours for departure and arrival; and even more things that I can't think of right now! There are so many considerations that client care specialists must keep in mind, and it really shows the level of expertise required to do what they do.

What are some of the most common misconceptions people initially have about relocating their pets?

I think many people assume you simply have to buy the pet a plane ticket, just like humans do for a trip. If there's a seat, then you purchase it, the end! They don't realize the rules and regulations in place for pet safety that vary from airline to airline and country to country. Also, I think many people relocating assume their pet will be escorted to their destination on a flight with one of us in the cabin of an airplane. In reality, pets travel safely but also very differently than us -- the cargo area is actually a climate that is naturally more den-like and comforting to them in that type of unknown situation.

First pet client reunion!

What has been your most memorable moment so far?

I'd have to say seeing pets at work every day. Nothing makes you feel better than petting a sweet dog, and we get that opportunity nearly every day at PetRelocation. When there's not a dog in the office, there's usually a hamster on Tobi's desk to help us get our fuzzy fix. 

The overall vibe of what I've felt in the short time that I've worked for PetRelocation is caring and consideration. Everyone here treats each move as if they were moving their own pets, and everyone treats every team member with tons of encouragement and support. We make a great team, and we have fun every day. I love it here!

Read more about the PetRelocation team, and contact us if you have questions about an upcoming pet move.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in August 2014 and has been updated with new information.