Travel Arrangements
within the US & Canada
NOTE: This page has been updated as of 2 January 2023
If you are not in the Kansas City area, or have reason to travel through, you are probably wondering if you can still bring home a KyTy Critter. The simple answer is YES, we have placed our little ones in homes all over the United States. The information provided on this page will be invaluable to you, but there's a lot of information, so here's the super simplified breakdown (scroll down for full detail):
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We never send critters to their new homes before confirming with the recipient, and that method of transport will be discussed prior to scheduling.
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Our Air Transport option does not arrive at your home. Your critter will need to be collected from the destination airport.
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Ground Transport doesn't leave our house and straight to yours. Routes usually include deliveries along the way, so your patience is expected.
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Transport is totally safe. Your critter will be cared for during the trip just as it would if it were still in our care.
Thanks!
--Kiley & Tyson (KyTy)
Ground Transporation
Services Available Nationwide!
KyTy Critters has partnered with a number of ground transport groups, and are able to schedule to get your new baby to your area starting at $80 (on top of the cost of the critter). There is variation from one transport route to another, but we work with you to find the transport group that works best for your schedule and budget.
Generally speaking, transporters have regular routes, built around the animals they are transporting. When you place your order, we contact our transporter to find out when the next known route may occur and add your critter to the list. Once the transporter picks up your critter from us, the driver is given your contact information, and will contact you directly with rough estimate of when they are planning to arrive in your area. Meetings usually will take place in convenient, public locations (parking lots, gas stations, etc) to provide a comfortable and spacious area for you to meet safely and easily. We will always get confirmation from you before sending your baby via any method of transport, and scheduling can take time, so you don't have to worry about your baby showing up before you're ready.
The lower cost of these transport methods is great (compared to airline travel, which has been made far more expensive and difficult to arrange due to the COVID-19 pandemic), but it does come with a couple caveats. We require that you understand and agree to be...
...flexible.
These drivers have to deal with traffic, weather, and other unforeseen obstacles to bring your critter to you. Your understanding and flexibility is crucial, as your meeting location and time may need to change between the time they pick up from KyTy, and the time they arrive to your city.
...punctual.
When you schedule a meeting with the transport, you must keep in mind that you are not the only person that they will be meeting on this route, that day, or even in that location. By running late, you not only waste the time of the person who has been caring for your critter, but can throw off the entire schedule for the rest of the route.
...courteous.
Our first and foremost priority here at KyTy is the health, safety, and happiness of the critters we are placing in homes across the country. We would never place our critters in the care of someone, even temporarily, if we felt that they would be place in any kind of danger. Therefore we expect our KyTy families to trust our judgment, and understand that if we are comfortable with a given transport option, you can be also.
If you have any questions or concerns about this method of travel, please do not hesitate to reach out. However, please understand that our first and foremost priority here at KyTy is the health, safety, and happiness of the critters we are placing in homes across the country. We would never place our critters in the care of someone, even temporarily, if we felt that they would be place in any kind of danger. Trust us, if we are comfortable with the transport option that you have chosen, you can be also.
Airline Travel available Nationwide!
ANNOUNCING: Delta has decided to restart their PetSafe travel offerings, meaning we will be able to provide transport for critters with same-day departure and arrival.
KyTy Critters travel using Delta Airline's PetSafe pet travel program, and can travel almost anywhere Delta flies. While weather restrictions do apply, we will work our hardest to ensure your new family member has the smoothest and safest flight.
PLEASE NOTE: For the safety of your critter, temperatures MUST be below 85 degrees and above 30 degrees at the time & location of departure and arrival (including any connections/layovers). These restrictions may cause us to have to schedule late arrivals, watch the weather closely, and possibly change flights, times, and even days if the weather becomes unpredictable.
Shipping Cost:
(estimated)
Flight - $150
Crate - $25
Handling - $25
TOTAL: $200
(additional fee required for Canada shipments, and for additional services such as health certificates.)
We ship animals out on Tuesdays and Fridays. Other arrangements can possibly be made, if necessary.
Prices above are for an individual of a species. If adopting multiple critters, we will make every effort to make the shipping as financially efficient as possible, based on number of animals and species making the trip. So if that is the case, or you have other questions, feel free to refrain from that option at checkout, and we can arrange shipping and collect that charge at a later time.
For a list of eligible airports in the US, please click HERE. Please note that this list is updated regularly, and KyTy Critters can not be held responsible for any changes to the list of eligible airports. The eligibility of your airport will only be confirmed when travel reservations are made.
Live in the Kansas City area
or plan to travel through?
We believe that a face-to-face interaction is great, for answering questions and for putting aside doubts, and that's why KyTy Critters does offer in-person pick up of animals and supplies! However, we are not a brick-and-mortal store, and do not carry store hours.
We set 30-min pickup appointments not only because we do not have "store hours", but also so that, because everyone seems to be busier each day than the last, we can ensure that each family has the ability to get one-on-one time with us, get all the necessary information about caring for their new little one, and to have ample opportunity to have all their questions answered. Thank you for understanding, and for being on time (not early) to your appointment. We will be unavailable to you prior to your appointment window.
We understand that things can come up suddenly (bad traffic or flat tires, for example). If you need to reschedule, please let us know as soon as possible, and we will do our best to accommodate. Thanks!
KyTy Critters now offers
Pet & Product Financing!
In love with one of our Critters, but don't have the cash to pay up front today? We currently offer a "layaway" style payment option for families waiting on critters that aren't quite ready to travel yet (or for future babies). We will provide an electronic invoice to you via email, and you can pay incrementally, as often as you like, in any amount that you like, until you are fully paid. Please note that we can only hold critters for about three weeks after their "ready" date (to ensure they are in their forever families early enough to begin that ever-important bonding process), so we ask that if you select this option, please plan accordingly.
We are also in communication with several different companies, working to offer more financing options to our KyTy family, including split payments and programs with low/no interest plans, that will allow you to bring your critter home now, and pay later! Please stay tuned for more details.