TRANSPORT GUIDE

Group vs Private Pet Transport

Group and Private transport solve different planning needs. Group combines bookings on a shared route; Private, also described as Solo, dedicates the trip to pets from your household. Both begin with a request that the Owner reviews before sending a final quote. The choice changes the distance base and pet-charge rules, but it does not remove the need for accurate addresses, confirmed contacts, required documents, acceptance, and a verified Square deposit.

Scheduling flexibility is a useful place to start. Group uses a two-to-three-day pickup window, so the pickup contact should be able to work within the agreed arrangement. Private is worth discussing when a dedicated household trip is your preference. Do not infer an exact delivery time or guaranteed availability from either label. Explain deadlines, access limitations, and the availability of the two contacts when submitting the request, then review the Owner's proposed schedule.

Choosing and planning your trip

Group pricing begins with one distance base selected by driving miles. Every animal adds a size fee according to weight. For each pet after the first, add half the distance base, rounded UP to the next whole dollar separately, as well as that pet's size fee. This is not a flat additional-pet surcharge. An odd-dollar base can produce a half-dollar calculation, but rounding each extra-pet distance charge upward keeps the entire quote in whole dollars.

Solo pricing uses a separate distance-base chart. Its first pet is included up to sixty pounds; a heavier first pet adds one hundred dollars. Each additional pet adds only its size fee from the Group size table. There is no additional half-base distance charge for Solo pets. These differences mean that the most useful comparison is the complete price for your household, not simply the starting base or a single pet's fee taken out of context.

Consider a hypothetical six-hundred-mile trip with one four-pound pet. The published Group base is four hundred fifty dollars, with a seventy-five-dollar size fee, making five hundred twenty-five dollars. Solo's base for that distance is one thousand fifty dollars and includes the first pet at that weight. These are pricing illustrations, not quotes for an announced route. Actual driving mileage between your addresses determines which distance band applies to your own request.

Preparing for pickup and delivery

A second pet changes that comparison. For the same illustrative Group distance band, its distance charge is two hundred twenty-five dollars plus its own size fee. For Solo, it adds only the size fee. Enter each animal's actual weight to see the correct household estimate. If a pet falls outside the supported online weight table, ask for an Owner quote instead of selecting a lighter bracket just to obtain an automatic price.

After choosing a service, check the itemized reviewed quote and both local time zones. Accept the terms before paying through Square. The deposit follows the same thirty-percent rule for both services, with a one-hundred-fifty-dollar minimum, whole-dollar rounding, and a cap at the total. The balance is due at delivery. Upload the health certificate and vaccination records, confirm contact information, and ask the Owner to review any later change to the route, pets, or dates.

Published price ranges

These are single-pet ranges from the current chart, not a fixed price or a claim about this route's mileage. Group ranges run from Extra Small to 2XL. Solo ranges show the included first pet up to 60 lb and the first-pet surcharge above 60 lb. Actual driving miles between submitted addresses select the tier.

Single-pet Group and Solo rates by driving distance
Driving milesGroup totalSolo total
0–300 mi$370–$620$550–$650
301–500 mi$400–$650$750–$850
501–800 mi$525–$775$1,050–$1,150
801–1,100 mi$650–$900$1,350–$1,450
1,101–1,400 mi$800–$1,050$1,650–$1,750
1,401–2,000 mi$950–$1,200$1,850–$1,950
2,001+ mi$1,125–$1,375$2,250–$2,350

For Group, each additional pet adds its size charge plus 50% of the distance base rounded UP separately to the next whole dollar. Solo additional pets add their size charge only. See the complete pricing guide for the weight brackets and itemized rules.

Frequently asked questions

Is the cancellation policy different for Group and Private?

No. If the client cancels, the deposit is forfeited and no additional balance is owed for cancellation. If Elite Pet Transportation cancels, the client receives a full refund of the deposit and all other payments. Review the written terms attached to your quote before accepting either service.

What deposit is required, and when is the balance due?

The deposit is 30% of the total, with a $150 minimum, rounded to whole dollars and never above the total. Accept your reviewed quote before paying through Square. The remaining balance is due at delivery via Square.

What happens if the trip is canceled?

If the client cancels at any time, the deposit is forfeited and no additional balance is owed for cancellation. If Elite Pet Transportation cancels, the client receives a full refund of the deposit and all other payments.

USDA-Registered Class T Carrier – Cert. No. 31-T-0546

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