Do You Deliver?
We have fans all over the United States, and even internationally now as well now. It is really exciting for us to be loved and enjoyed by so many people! Our increasing popularity means we are also getting an increasing number of inquiries on whether we ship or deliver rats. (We have a separate page on shipping, which is done through airlines between states. We do not ship internationally at this time.) This page will be specifically dedicated to information on delivery of rats or basic meetings that will occur out of our normal meet-up zone (or an Out-of-Area Appointment).
The simple answer to this question is, No, we do not deliver as a general rule. However, during certain times throughout the year, we may be able to accommodate a limited number of delivery requests. This page is intended to give adopters a very detailed look into how this process works for us, and Why we do it the way we do.
The simple answer to this question is, No, we do not deliver as a general rule. However, during certain times throughout the year, we may be able to accommodate a limited number of delivery requests. This page is intended to give adopters a very detailed look into how this process works for us, and Why we do it the way we do.
WHAT IS AN OOAA?
Your first question is likely going to be, "What qualifies as an 'Out-of-Area Appointment' (OOAA)?
Any meeting that we do not specifically offer to our adopters will count as an OOAA. We may or may not mention transport fees in our normal meet-ups, but OOAA meet-ups will ALWAYS mention a transportation fee. These meetings are generally requested by a single adopter as a convenience, but we will always open them up to others as well.
Our usual meetup area is within the 92020 zip code. Any meeting outside of that may be considered a OOAA when requested by an adopter and not offered by Squeakin' Pups as an alternative meeting point.
Any meeting that we do not specifically offer to our adopters will count as an OOAA. We may or may not mention transport fees in our normal meet-ups, but OOAA meet-ups will ALWAYS mention a transportation fee. These meetings are generally requested by a single adopter as a convenience, but we will always open them up to others as well.
Our usual meetup area is within the 92020 zip code. Any meeting outside of that may be considered a OOAA when requested by an adopter and not offered by Squeakin' Pups as an alternative meeting point.
CAN I SCHEDULE AN OOAA ANY TIME I WANT TO?
We offer OOAAs year round, however scheduling is limited to my own availability and there are some blackout dates (notated in the process section below.)
Adopters are able to contact us with OOAA requests at any time of year, however, our ability to take on any OOAA will be determined by many factors at the time of the request. I have health conditions that sometimes make it hard to drive and always require a longer than average recovery time after I have driven a long distance. The longer the distance, the more time it takes to recover and the more residual pain afterwards. The OOAA option had a year of "testing out" before making it a more permanent part of my business structure. I've been able to tweak pricing and rules so that I am generally able to meet all requests with ease, yet there are still a few times of year where requests for OOAA may exceed my ability to meet them. It may be possible to combine your request with an existing one, however. I do try to find the best solution for all adopters.
LIMITATIONS ON OOAA SCHEDULING:
Adopters are able to contact us with OOAA requests at any time of year, however, our ability to take on any OOAA will be determined by many factors at the time of the request. I have health conditions that sometimes make it hard to drive and always require a longer than average recovery time after I have driven a long distance. The longer the distance, the more time it takes to recover and the more residual pain afterwards. The OOAA option had a year of "testing out" before making it a more permanent part of my business structure. I've been able to tweak pricing and rules so that I am generally able to meet all requests with ease, yet there are still a few times of year where requests for OOAA may exceed my ability to meet them. It may be possible to combine your request with an existing one, however. I do try to find the best solution for all adopters.
LIMITATIONS ON OOAA SCHEDULING:
- We only schedule one OOAA per calendar week.
- We only schedule a maximum of two (2) OOAA per calendar month
- OOAA are scheduled for times outside of peak traffic/rush hour schedules.
THE PROCESS
The following will walk you through the steps for scheduling an OOAA with us. Please keep in mind that OOAA are not always available, and they are very heavily determined by our ability to travel. During certain months of the year, we may not schedule any OOAA, and others we may have several available.
Step #1: Be an Approved Adopter
We do not schedule any appointments or meeting for persons who are not approved adopters. We will forward non-approved persons to our website for info, but we do not answer scheduling questions at all. If you are not yet an approved adopter, please head to the top of the page and click on the Adoption menu to begin the process of becoming an approved adopter.
Step #2: When to Contact Us and Scheduling
Before you apply, you should contact us to make sure there is an OOAA slot available for around when you would like to meet for your new rats. If you schedule a meeting date first, then contact us regarding an OOAA, and we do not have an opening, you will still be responsible for the pick-up of your new Squeakin' Pups at the time you reserved. We will not refund deposits for adoptions based on an inability to pick-up your new rats.
In your initial contact, please let us know when you would like to schedule your OOAA. The more specific you are initially with your own availability, and the more flexible you are with options, the easier it will be for us to check our schedule and verify if we have any matching times available. For example, an adopter who is only available at 10 a.m. on November 13th is likely to be disappointed when we are not available that day and time. However, if an adopter is available any time in the morning or afternoon on November 10th-14th, we can very likely find a time to accommodate them.
There are certain dates that are BLACKOUT dates for us. We do not schedule ANY meetings - in town or out of town - on those dates. Our definite blackout dates during the year are:
There are additional dates that are blacked out during the year, but they vary by year, so we do not have them listed. We will try to make sure they get posted to our Announcements page when they are coming up. We will usually mention blackout dates if they fall within your available or requested dates for pick up.
Additional Items of Note on Scheduling:
In your initial contact, please let us know when you would like to schedule your OOAA. The more specific you are initially with your own availability, and the more flexible you are with options, the easier it will be for us to check our schedule and verify if we have any matching times available. For example, an adopter who is only available at 10 a.m. on November 13th is likely to be disappointed when we are not available that day and time. However, if an adopter is available any time in the morning or afternoon on November 10th-14th, we can very likely find a time to accommodate them.
There are certain dates that are BLACKOUT dates for us. We do not schedule ANY meetings - in town or out of town - on those dates. Our definite blackout dates during the year are:
- Easter
- Halloween
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas Eve & Christmas Day
There are additional dates that are blacked out during the year, but they vary by year, so we do not have them listed. We will try to make sure they get posted to our Announcements page when they are coming up. We will usually mention blackout dates if they fall within your available or requested dates for pick up.
Additional Items of Note on Scheduling:
- We will schedule an OOAA if there is at least one (1) adopter requesting.
- We will make the OOAA available to other persons and will reduce fees as more adopters sign up for the same day. We are more than happy to meet with a group that an adopter has organized themselves and allow you to split the OOAA fee between you yourselves.
- We will not meet in any inclement weather. If you have a OOAA scheduled and the 3 day forecast states a 40% or greater chance for any of the following on the day we are meeting: rain, hail, sleet, snow, excessive heat (over 95F) or cold (below 50F), or other weather that would make it unsafe to transport our rats; we will have to reschedule the event for a later date. The health and welfare of the Squeakin' Pups always comes before all else. We are open to waiting for the next day weather, to see if it improves by the day before our scheduled event.
- Once confirmed, all OOAAs are final and rescheduling or cancelling (except for the reasons stated in #3 above) will result in a loss of the OOAA fee, either in part or whole. Please be sure of your schedule of events when setting up a time and place as all of our fees are always non-refundable once paid.
Step #3: Picking a Location & OOAA Fees
Once a day and time are set, the next step is to determine the place of our meeting. The location of our meeting must follow these rules:
Additional items that are preferred if possible:
- Must be a public place with high foot traffic and visibility: we will not meet at a private residence or other location that is out of the way or which has limited use. Locations on main roads or in major shopping centers are ideal. Stores such as Petco or Petsmart are also a great choice, in case you have a last purchase to make for your new rats.
- Must have free on site parking for all persons attending the event.
- Must be within 3 miles of a major freeway.
Additional items that are preferred if possible:
- Access to benches or tables & chairs
- Pet friendly locations, such as parks that allow animals/pets
- Shade - either through trees or structures
- Do not have rules or exclusions preventing me from meeting (I've been asked to leave certain shopping centers although I'm not selling, only doing pick ups)
Fees
The transportation fee for all OOAAs includes:
When deciding on a location, you can choose to have us drive all the way to you, or to meet us halfway to save on costs.
When a location is agreed upon we will determine the actual number of miles using Google Maps and provide you with the total fee ahead of time. The Transportation Fee will be due at the same time as your Deposit for any rats you are adopting. Both fees are non-refundable once paid. It is very important to be certain of your schedule before paying the deposit.
OOAAs are not confirmed until a day/time are selected, a location is selected, the transportation fee is paid, and the deposit on any Squeakin' Pups is paid. Any remaining balances for rats or other items can be paid at the meeting.
- Estimated cost of gas
- Estimated time for travel
When deciding on a location, you can choose to have us drive all the way to you, or to meet us halfway to save on costs.
When a location is agreed upon we will determine the actual number of miles using Google Maps and provide you with the total fee ahead of time. The Transportation Fee will be due at the same time as your Deposit for any rats you are adopting. Both fees are non-refundable once paid. It is very important to be certain of your schedule before paying the deposit.
OOAAs are not confirmed until a day/time are selected, a location is selected, the transportation fee is paid, and the deposit on any Squeakin' Pups is paid. Any remaining balances for rats or other items can be paid at the meeting.
Fee - Quick Look-up
The following are a quick list of locations with fees already calculated for you. Pricing in black have been visited and updated since 2020, the white have not and may need adjusting. Please note that the price is if you are the only one meeting me. There is a discount on the price for each additional adopter that schedules for the same day and location:
- Chula Vista: Petco, 3426 Highland Ave, National City, CA 91950, $60
- La Jolla: PetSmart, 8657 Villa La Jolla Dr, La Jolla, CA 92037, $60
- Ramona: Kahoots Feed & Pet, 2020 Main St, Ramona, CA 92065, $80
- Escondido: Petco, 1000 W Valley Pkwy, Escondido, CA 92025, $120
- Oceanside: Petco, 2445 Vista Way, Oceanside, CA 92054, $150
- Temecula, CA: Kahoots Pet, 31845 Temecula Pkwy Ste A, Temecula, CA 92592, $175
- San Juan Capistrano, CA: 32391 Camino Capistrano #A, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675, $300
- Murrietta, CA (Riverside): 41200 Murrieta Hot Springs Rd, Murrieta, CA 92562, $300
- Anaheim, CA (Orange): PetSmart, 2741 El Camino Real, Tustin, CA 92782, $300
- Yuma, AZ: , $400 (You will likely need a few friends to adopt with you for out of state)
Additional Frequently Asked Questions:
What do I do if I need to reschedule?
If you absolutely need to reschedule, please contact us. We may not be able to reschedule for meeting at the original location, but we can likely still meet somewhere to get your Squeakin' Pups to you. It may be necessary for you to come down to us, however. We cannot guarantee another OOAA slot will be available.
What if I am late/miss our meeting time?
On the day of our meeting, I always allot at least an hour of time for the total meet-up. It is always recommendable to be early for the meeting, to prevent being late. If you are running late, I will stay a reasonable amount of time waiting for adopters. My definition of reasonable is 15 minutes after the last person (besides the one I am waiting on) departs the location. If you are scheduled as my last person, this would be 15 minutes after your scheduled appointment time. You can always contact me to see if I am still at the location, however. I will also usually notate to all attendees the time I am scheduled to depart the location, for reference. Please know that if you are late to your appointment, the next person in line will get to pick rats when it is their scheduled time, which means fewer rats for you to choose from when you arrive. I do not put my other meetings on hold while waiting for anyone who is late.
Anyone who misses their time or does not arrive before my departure will have two options.
Missed appointments result in the forfeit of all deposits and transportation fees, even if you are rescheduling to meet at a later date.
What if I forget my carrier?
I usually have at least one extra carrier with me. They vary in cost based on size. The small bin carriers are $50. Large bin carriers are $80.
How far are you able to drive?
I am currently limiting my driving to 200 miles, possibly less depending on my ability to drive long distances. You can check your location against the 92020 zip code. If you are farther away, feel free to double check with me and see if my policy is flexible during that time of year. Certain months of the year are very slow and I may not mind an extra long trip. Oklahoma and areas around it may receive a 10% discount on travel fees as I am looking for an excuse to travel there.
If you absolutely need to reschedule, please contact us. We may not be able to reschedule for meeting at the original location, but we can likely still meet somewhere to get your Squeakin' Pups to you. It may be necessary for you to come down to us, however. We cannot guarantee another OOAA slot will be available.
What if I am late/miss our meeting time?
On the day of our meeting, I always allot at least an hour of time for the total meet-up. It is always recommendable to be early for the meeting, to prevent being late. If you are running late, I will stay a reasonable amount of time waiting for adopters. My definition of reasonable is 15 minutes after the last person (besides the one I am waiting on) departs the location. If you are scheduled as my last person, this would be 15 minutes after your scheduled appointment time. You can always contact me to see if I am still at the location, however. I will also usually notate to all attendees the time I am scheduled to depart the location, for reference. Please know that if you are late to your appointment, the next person in line will get to pick rats when it is their scheduled time, which means fewer rats for you to choose from when you arrive. I do not put my other meetings on hold while waiting for anyone who is late.
Anyone who misses their time or does not arrive before my departure will have two options.
- I charge a $20 per half hour fee to wait longer on anyone who is running late.
- You can schedule with me to pick up your rats at a later date somewhere that is local to me.
Missed appointments result in the forfeit of all deposits and transportation fees, even if you are rescheduling to meet at a later date.
What if I forget my carrier?
I usually have at least one extra carrier with me. They vary in cost based on size. The small bin carriers are $50. Large bin carriers are $80.
How far are you able to drive?
I am currently limiting my driving to 200 miles, possibly less depending on my ability to drive long distances. You can check your location against the 92020 zip code. If you are farther away, feel free to double check with me and see if my policy is flexible during that time of year. Certain months of the year are very slow and I may not mind an extra long trip. Oklahoma and areas around it may receive a 10% discount on travel fees as I am looking for an excuse to travel there.
Last Updated: 8/15/2023