Mary's Pawsome Connection

on August 1, 2018 at 3:54pm

Mary Jefferson from All Animal Transport becomes fur-ever friends with every animal she puts on a plane. From Anna the rat to Steve the dog, Mary makes sure every precious pet flies comfortably and stress-free to be safely reunited with their (often-anxious) owners in their new home.

Originally from England, Mary came to Australia in 1972 as a dog handler on a ship with 38 dogs and eight cats. During the month-long voyage on the high seas, Mary became attuned to the animals’ needs, comforting them when they were frightened or fretting.

When she arrived in Brisbane, Mary saw an opportunity to set up her own animal transport business to help reassure worried owners and settle nervous pets ahead of their big journeys. She now flies some 1000 pets in and out of BNE every year, with a first-class reputation for TLC.

Mary’s success is largely due to the fact she treats every pet as her own. She takes time to get to know and comfort each pet before putting him or her safely in the carrier of her air-conditioned van, with their favourite ‘carry-on’ — usually a toy or snuggle rug.

“It’s only natural that both the owner and their pet are nervous when I meet them,” Mary said.

“Pets are as precious as family members and it’s my job to bring comfort, reassurance and reunite them safely with their owner on the other side.”

After doing the airport run every day for over 30 years, Mary is well known at BNE. She’s able to quickly and efficiently book a pet’s one way ticket and ensure they are in safe hands from take-off to landing. She’s even able to change a flight at the last minute if a pet seems off colour or too anxious to fly.

Mary says she develops a special bond with each animal in her care, even after just a short time with them.

“I have four dogs, two cats and a bird of my own and every animal I look after becomes part of the family very quickly. I listen and talk to them, make sure they’re comfortable and of course, give them lots of cuddles,” she said.

“By the time I take them to the airport, I know they’re happy, content and ready for their journey. When I return home, the house always seems a little emptier, but I take great joy in knowing that pet will soon be safely back in the arms of its best friend.”