A non-profit animal rescue group reminded the public that it is not a funded shelter after receiving a kitten transported to them by a same-day delivery service provider.
The Cat House, a family-run animal rescue group, reported receiving a kitten in a box secured only by tape from Lalamove on Saturday, March 15.
The kitten was picked up from a coffee shop in Calamba, Laguna, and sent to The Cat House facility in General Trias, Cavite.
“This is a story we’ve heard far too many times, and we’re unsure of the truth behind it,” the rescue group said in a Facebook post.
“To the person who sent this poor kitten, please understand that you cannot simply send random strays to our address,” they added.
“We are not a city pound or a funded shelter. We do not accept unwanted pets or surrendered animals. We already have nearly 300 rescues, and adding more to our burden is not something we can accommodate,” the rescue group said.
They added that they had already contacted the kitten’s sender, who provided “several reasons for the situation,” but they said they were “not convinced” by the explanations.
“We instructed the rider to return the kitten to the sender, emphasizing the importance of handling it carefully since it’s an animal,” The Cat House said.
“Additionally, Lalamove should be aware that transporting any live animals is prohibited by their policy. The stress on the kitten must be considered,” they added.
The rescue group assured its followers in the comments section that they had “made sure” the rider would not abandon or leave the kitten.
“Ininstruct pa namin ang rider paano hindi ma-stress ang kuting and, of course, educate na sa susunod, hindi tama ang ganon dahil buhay ang pinag-uusapan at hindi bagay,” they said.
In 2022, Lalamove reminded pet owners that it cannot transport animals as part of its guidelines, citing that its vehicles are “not equipped with the proper carriage and ventilation” for them.
“Our Lalamove Bossings have the right to refuse since this is not allowed on our platform,” it said in its e-mail message before, referring to its delivery riders.
“For the safety of your pets, let them feel loved and not have them delivered via Lalamove,” the delivery service added.
Its website states that Lalamove cannot deliver “breathing or living things, and illegal or hazardous items.”
These include people, pets or animals, fish seedlings, dangerous drugs, alcoholic drinks in cases of alcohol ban, firearms, sharp objects, chemicals, unsecured flammable objects and jewelry.
“This guideline applies to all vehicles within our fleet, spanning from motorcycles to MPVs (multi-purpose vehicles) and delivery trucks. Our team and trusted Partner Drivers adhere strictly to this policy, and we kindly request our customers to do the same,” Lalamove said.
Meanwhile, other services specializing in pet transport include Pet Movers Philippines, Kingchay Pet Transport, FurExpress, and PetTransPRO, among others.
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