Pickup Only - Effective April 1, 2026

I want to share an important update regarding my delivery services. Starting April 1, 2026, Forest City Rats will no longer be offering delivery.

My initial goal was to discontinue out-of-town delivery in 2027; however, the continued rise in fuel costs has required me to implement this change earlier than planned, while also discontinuing both local and out-of-town deliveries.

I did not make this decision lightly. I originally kept my delivery area intentionally wide because I believe in accessibility and networking within the rat community, and I wanted to offer ease of access to pet rats for everyone. Over time, the rising cost of fuel and the true expense of long-distance travel have made deliveries unsustainable. Even with a small, fuel-efficient vehicle, the numbers simply no longer make sense.

Here is an example of delivery costs:

• As of March 29, 2026, local gas prices are approximately $1.769/L

• A round trip to Burlington (~280 km, ~3 hours of driving) requires about 17.9L of fuel in my car

• That equals roughly $31.70 in fuel alone

• My previous delivery fee to Burlington was $30

• This means the cost of gas alone exceeded what I charged, without accounting for:

  • Travel time (3+ hours)

  • Vehicle wear and tear

  • General operating costs

    
    

When factoring in minimum wage ($17.60/hour), it became clear that I was operating at a loss for most long-distance deliveries. I have also noted that a local pet store in Burlington offers delivery of live animals to London for a fee of approximately $200 (for comparison's sake). I have also reflected on the fact that I previously required a minimum purchase of two or more rats to help offset delivery costs. However, I have come to realize that this approach undervalues the rats themselves and is not a sustainable or fair way for me to structure pricing.

Beyond financial considerations, there have also been ongoing logistical challenges with deliveries (or coordinating pickup in Simcoe, which I also offered for FREE). To be fully transparent, here are some of the recurring situations I have encountered:

• Disagreement with delivery costs

  • I have noticed a trend where individuals who do not drive or own a vehicle may not fully recognize or account for the true cost and logistics involved in transportation and delivery.

  • While I understand that pricing is an important consideration, my delivery rates were always set competitively low given the time, distance, and operational costs involved.

• Forgetting delivery is a round trip

  • Many requests and expectations have been based on one-way travel, when in reality every delivery requires me to drive there and back. This doubles both time and fuel costs, which is often not considered.

• Requests for extreme distances

  • I have been asked multiple times to deliver 5–8 hours away. At that point, the trip would realistically require overnight accommodations and an entire day (or more) dedicated to travel alone, which is not feasible for a small-scale rattery.

  • It would also require me to take time off from my full-time job to accommodate the trip.

  • While it is not impossible, the true cost of doing so would realistically be in the hundreds of dollars and would require significantly more compensation to make sense.

• Clients not being ready or available

  • There have been instances where I arrived at the agreed time and had to wait, or could not reach the client right away.

  • After already driving long distances, delays like this add even more time and uncertainty to the process.

• Parking issues were not disclosed in advance

  • I have arrived at locations only to find there is no parking available, no parking nearby, or that parking is restricted.

• Being expected to pay for parking

  • There have been situations where paid parking was required, but this was not communicated ahead of time, and I was expected to cover that cost myself.

• Incomplete or unclear addresses

  • For example, being given an address for a large townhouse complex with 90+ units and no unit number provided. This results in time spent trying to locate the correct home after arrival.

• Unsafe or impractical handoff situations

  • I have had clients invite me inside or not be ready at the door with a carrier (despite clear email messaging beforehand about the dropoff process).

  • Meanwhile, my own dogs are waiting in the car during these exchanges (also something I clearly communicate in advance to all delivery clients).

• Difficult or unsafe delivery environments

  • In one instance, I had to park several streets away and walk in a snowstorm because there was no driveway or safe stopping area, and the client lived on the corner of a busy intersection. Luckily, my husky (happy to sit in a cold car) was the one with me for that ride.

• Selected the wrong option at checkout

  • On one occasion, a client selected “Simcoe Pickup” at checkout and also entered their preferred pickup date and time.

    

    

  • Based on this, I rearranged my work schedule (got 2 shifts covered by coworkers) and coordinated plans to be in Simcoe that weekend to accommodate the pickup.

  • Afterwards, the client reached out to me asking for clarification on why their email communications showed Simcoe as the pickup location instead of London, noting their surprise that the two locations were so far apart.

While many clients have been wonderful, these repeated situations have made delivery increasingly difficult to manage safely, fairly, and sustainably. By offering only 1 option at checkout going forward, I am simplifying things for myself.

What This Means Going Forward

• All clients will need to arrange pickup of their rat(s)

• We will not be working with a transport service at this time

  
  

Moving forward, this change allows me to better focus my time, energy, and resources on the rattery itself, ensuring the highest quality care, attention, and experience for both my rats and clients.

Pickup will remain by appointment only. I am not a pet store with a public storefront. Which reminds me, one time on Facebook someone told me I couldn't say "pickup only" while publicly sharing my address. Truly, if you show up at my door without a pickup appointment, the door won't be answered.

If I'm not expecting you, don't expect the door to open. Even if we make eye contact through the window. Plain and simple.

I truly appreciate everyone who has supported Forest City Rats and made use of our delivery services over the last two years. I've had a lot of fun being able to connect people with their new rats and help make access easier across a wide area.

With rising costs and the realities of maintaining a sustainable business, I’ve had to make the difficult decision to bring this chapter to a close earlier than originally planned.

Thank you again to everyone who trusted me, recommended me, and welcomed me into your journeys with your rats. I’m incredibly grateful for the community that has grown around this.

-Haley🖤