What taxi would you trust to look after your pet?

We have always been a nation of animal lovers so it should come as no surprise that there are taxi services dedicated to transporting our pets.

Whether it is a licenced breeder or an owner who can no longer look after a beloved pet, finding loving homes for them isn’t always easy. While the internet means news of puppies or kittens for sale can spread in an instant, the practicalities of safely getting a pet from one part of the country to another is a major barrier to helping an animal find its forever home.

It was for this reason that Pet Taxi UK was launched by Derek Foxcroft. Although based in in Middlesbrough, it provides services collecting and delivering live animals within the pet industry marketplace across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Wales, Northern France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Holland, western Germany and even as far as Switzerland.

It regularly transports animals in the Middlesbrough area that need treatment by a vet or that have been rescued.

Using a fleet of vans and adapted estate cars, Derek and the team carefully transport a variety of animals including rabbits, chinchillas, rats and mice, guinea pigs, hamsters and gerbils, degus and chipmunks from registered specialist breeders, show breeders and hobby breeders to customers.

While conventional taxis and private-hire vehicles must allow assistance dogs, only a few operate services that allow owners to bring their pets along. Uber Pet led the way and while other firms have followed, it is down to a driver’s discretion whether or not to allow pets in their cabs.

Derek’s service, on the other hand, focuses purely on animals and does not transport people.

He said: “We work with breeders to ensure their customers receive their animals in good health and as quickly as possible. We pride ourselves in the quality of service we deliver, our timely communications and our ability to treat all of our customers with the same professionalism and courtesy at all times.

“Our minimum standard of service is the animal always comes first.

“Pet Taxi UK has successfully operated the services it provides over a number of years. We are dog, rabbit and chinchilla people ourselves and use that extensive knowledge to ensure your pet reaches its intended destination fit and healthy. We have also already successfully transported dogs rescued from Romania, pygmy hogs, skinny pigs, lesser tenrecs and even a werewolf!”

Taxis and private hire vehicles are required to have public hire insurance or private hire insurance in order to protect passengers in the event of a collision or claim.

Derek’s service also requires specialist insurance for the precious cargo it is carrying. As a specialist DEFRA-licensed animal transporter, Pet Taxi UK is fully insured for operations in UK and Europe. Cover includes death in transit, public liability, product and trade liability, hire and reward activities and accidental damage.

The ultimate aim of any taxi service is to get passengers from one destination to another quickly, comfortably and, above all, safely. The taxi industry is heavily regulated to ensure this happens and it makes sense that such care is also taken with our beloved pets.