Terms & Conditions

These General Terms and Conditions (hereinafter the “Terms”) govern the business relationship between TRAVERSE Pet Relocation Specialist, represented by its owner Phattarapon Somproh (hereinafter “TRAVERSE”), and the respective client (hereinafter the “Client”). By engaging TRAVERSE, the Client accepts these Terms in their then-current version.

§1 — Scope of Services

1.1 TRAVERSE provides coordination, organisational, and advisory services in the field of international animal transport. Depending on the scope agreed for a specific booking, TRAVERSE may act as organiser, coordinator, consultant, and/or freight forwarder (Spediteur) — in a single capacity or a combination thereof. The scope of services includes, in particular but not limited to:

• Preparation, review, and submission of the required travel and customs documents, including customs declarations
• Acting as the Client’s authorised representative in dealings with airlines, forwarders, customs, and veterinary/border authorities where required for the booking
• Engaging and coordinating third-party providers and external services on the Client’s behalf (air cargo forwarders, destination agents, veterinary authorities, ground transport, boarding facilities, and similar services)
• TRACES NT pre-notification and communication with authorities
• Advice on entry requirements, flight routes, and IATA-compliant transport crates
• Ongoing communication with the Client throughout the entire process

1.2 As a general rule, TRAVERSE does not itself take physical custody of or transport animals, with the exception of the Local Pick-up & Drop-off Service governed by §1.4. The actual transport of the animal is carried out by independent, licensed third-party providers (in particular IATA-accredited air cargo forwarders and airlines). Whether TRAVERSE acts as a freight forwarder (Spediteur) within the meaning of the German Commercial Code (HGB) for a given booking depends on the specific scope agreed with the Client for that booking.

1.3 For the tasks described in §1.1, TRAVERSE may act as the Client’s representative or agent vis-à-vis third parties and authorities (for example when submitting customs declarations or communicating with carriers on the Client’s behalf). This does not make TRAVERSE a representative, agent, or vicarious agent of the third-party provider itself.

1.4 At the Client’s specific request and against a separate fee, TRAVERSE can, subject to availability for the relevant location, provide local pick-up of the animal from the Client and delivery to the departure cargo terminal, as well as pick-up from the destination cargo terminal and delivery to the recipient (hereinafter the “Local Pick-up & Drop-off Service”). During the Local Pick-up & Drop-off Service, the animal is in TRAVERSE’s physical custody. TRAVERSE’s liability for this period is governed exclusively by §6a.

§2 — Client Obligations

2.1 The Client is obliged to provide TRAVERSE with all information required to perform the services completely, accurately, and in a timely manner. This includes in particular:

• Veterinary records, vaccination passports, and proof of vaccination
• Microchip number and associated registration data
• Details of the animal’s breed, weight, and dimensions
• Desired travel dates and departure/destination details
• Complete personal details of the Client and, where applicable, the recipient at the destination
• Health-relevant information about the animal (known conditions, medications, particularities)

2.2 Responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the data and documents provided by the Client lies solely with the Client. TRAVERSE is not obliged to independently verify the factual accuracy of information supplied by the Client. TRAVERSE only checks the formal completeness and consistency of the documents based on the applicable entry requirements.

2.3 Damages arising from incomplete, incorrect, or late information provided by the Client are borne entirely by the Client. The Client indemnifies TRAVERSE against all third-party claims arising from incorrect Client information.

§3 — Document Responsibility

3.1 TRAVERSE assumes responsibility for the correct preparation of travel documents based on the information provided by the Client and the entry and transport regulations of the destination country that are in force and publicly available at the time the documents are prepared.

3.2 TRAVERSE undertakes to prepare all documents carefully and in accordance with the applicable international, EU, and national regulations relevant to the specific booking.

3.3 If an error arises solely from document preparation by TRAVERSE (i.e., not from incorrect Client information under §2 and not from a subsequent change in regulations under §5), TRAVERSE will re-issue the affected documents at no additional charge to the Client.

§4 — Third-Party Liability

4.1 TRAVERSE is not liable for the independent acts, omissions, errors, or delays of third-party providers themselves, in particular:

• Air cargo forwarders and airlines
• Destination agents and receiving forwarders
• Veterinary authorities and Border Control Posts (BCPs)
• Pet boarding facilities and kennels

TRAVERSE’s own liability under §6 for intent or gross negligence — including in the selection and instruction of third-party providers — remains unaffected.

4.2 The services of these third-party providers are subject to their own general terms and conditions, which the Client acknowledges. Delays, cancellations, embargoes, or restrictions on the part of the airline or forwarder do not give rise to any liability claim against TRAVERSE.

4.3 TRAVERSE selects third-party providers carefully and favours IATA-accredited forwarders and proven destination agents. This careful selection does not, however, constitute a guarantee of the third-party provider’s performance.

§5 — Regulatory Changes & Delays

5.1 — Duty of Care

TRAVERSE undertakes to carefully review the entry and transport regulations of the destination country that are in force and publicly available at the time of document preparation, and to prepare the documents accordingly.

5.2 — Changes After Document Submission

If regulatory changes become known to TRAVERSE after the relevant travel documents have been prepared and submitted — whether because the change occurred afterwards, or because it had already been published but was not accounted for — TRAVERSE continues to support the Client exactly as before, at no additional Service Fee: TRAVERSE coordinates any necessary rebooking and prepares any newly required or amended documents free of charge. The only difference is that if the change requires an amended travel plan or results in additional third-party costs (e.g., airline or forwarder rebooking fees), those specific third-party costs are passed on to the Client as disbursements under §7.

5.3 — Duty to Inform

If TRAVERSE becomes aware of relevant regulatory changes at any point before or during the Client’s pet’s journey, TRAVERSE will inform the Client without delay. If the Client, after being informed, decides to proceed with the booking as planned, the Client bears any resulting additional costs charged by third-party providers.

5.4 — Exclusions

In all cases, the Client bears the following costs themselves:

• The Client’s own travel and accommodation costs resulting from travel delays
• Costs for pet boarding or other accommodation of the animal during a delay
• Loss of profit or other indirect damages
• Rebooking fees charged by the airline or forwarder (always passed on as disbursements under §7)

§6 — Limitation of Liability

6.1 TRAVERSE’s liability is, to the extent legally permissible, limited to the amount of the Service Fee paid by the Client to TRAVERSE for the respective booking. Disbursements (pass-through costs under §7) are not covered by this liability cap. Where TRAVERSE acts as a freight forwarder (Spediteur) within the meaning of the HGB for a specific booking, this limitation applies only to the extent permitted under the mandatory liability provisions of the HGB (in particular §449 HGB); where those provisions require a higher minimum liability, the statutory minimum applies instead.

6.2 TRAVERSE’s liability for indirect damages, consequential damages, loss of profit, quarantine costs, or pet boarding costs is excluded, unless these result from intent or gross negligence on the part of TRAVERSE. For damages arising in connection with the Local Pick-up & Drop-off Service under §1.4, the special liability provision under §6a applies.

6.3 The above limitations of liability do not apply to injury to life, body, or health, or to defects fraudulently concealed.

§6a — Liability for Local Pick-up & Drop-off

6a.1 Where TRAVERSE provides local pick-up or drop-off of the animal under §1.4, TRAVERSE is liable for damage to the animal occurring during that period that results from a culpable breach of duty by TRAVERSE.

6a.2 TRAVERSE’s liability for damage arising in connection with the Local Pick-up & Drop-off Service under §6a.1 is not subject to a separate monetary cap.

6a.3 §6.3 applies accordingly to the Local Pick-up & Drop-off Service.

§7 — Disbursements

7.1 The Client authorises TRAVERSE to engage third-party services on the Client’s behalf — in particular air cargo transport with IATA-accredited forwarders — and to pass on the corresponding costs as disbursements (pass-through items).

7.2 Disbursements are invoiced without mark-up at the third-party provider’s actual cost price. Receipts and original invoices from third-party providers will be made available at the Client’s request.

7.3 The basis for treating these amounts as disbursements is that third-party providers issue their invoices in the Client’s name. The VAT treatment of third-party services is governed by the respective third-party provider’s invoices and is not TRAVERSE’s responsibility.

7.4 If regulatory changes, travel delays, or rebookings result in additional third-party costs after order confirmation, these will be communicated to the Client without delay and invoiced as additional disbursements under this section. The Client hereby consents to the pass-through of such unavoidable additional costs.

§8 — Fees, Payment & Cancellation

8.1 TRAVERSE’s fee for its services (the “Service Fee”) is agreed in writing in the quotation or order confirmation. Prices are stated in euros (EUR) unless another currency is expressly agreed with the Client for the respective booking.

8.2 Payment of the Service Fee is due before the service is performed, unless otherwise agreed in writing. Disbursements are payable in accordance with the payment terms of the respective third-party providers.

8.3 In the event of cancellation by the Client:

• Cancellation before the service has begun: full refund of the Service Fee
• Cancellation after the service has begun: pro-rata calculation of the Service Fee based on work already performed, subject to a minimum processing fee of €150.00
• Third-party costs already disbursed are invoiced in full and are non-refundable, unless a refund from the third-party provider is possible

8.4 The refundability of third-party costs is governed exclusively by the respective third-party provider’s (airline, forwarder) cancellation terms. TRAVERSE supports the Client in pursuing refund claims against third-party providers but does not guarantee a refund.

§9 — VAT

Pursuant to §19 of the German VAT Act (Kleinunternehmerregelung, small business exemption), no VAT is charged or shown on TRAVERSE’s Service Fee. Disbursements (pass-through costs) are passed on in accordance with the VAT treatment applied by the respective third-party provider.

§10 — Data Protection

TRAVERSE processes personal data provided by the Client — including data concerning the recipient at the destination, where applicable — solely to perform the agreed services (see §§1–7) and to fulfil applicable legal obligations (e.g. customs and TRACES NT reporting requirements). The legal basis for this processing is Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (performance of a contract) and, where applicable, Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR (compliance with a legal obligation). Where necessary to perform the service, personal data is shared with the third-party providers and authorities named in these Terms (e.g. airlines, forwarders, veterinary and customs authorities, destination agents), including in countries outside the European Economic Area where required by the destination.

This section governs data processed as part of the services described in these Terms. For information about data collected through this website, please see TRAVERSE’s separate Privacy Policy.

§11 — Final Provisions

11.1 The laws of the Federal Republic of Germany apply. The place of performance and jurisdiction is Berlin, to the extent legally permissible.

11.2 The language of the contract is English. In the event of any discrepancy between the English and a German version of these Terms, the English version shall prevail.

11.3 Should individual provisions of these Terms be or become invalid, this does not affect the validity of the remaining provisions. The invalid provision shall be replaced by a valid one that comes closest to the economic purpose of the invalid provision.

11.4 Amendments to these Terms must be made in writing. No oral side agreements exist.

11.5 TRAVERSE is not obliged, and is generally not willing, to participate in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board (Verbraucherschlichtungsstelle).