First off, I am not related to Tim, I don't even know Tim, and yes, I am a real person and this is a real post... in response to other's claims that positive reviews are "fake". While I didn't use Tims Pet Minivan due to the cost it would've been to get myself and my 80lb airedale from the UWS to Fort Greene during midday traffic, I am compelled to write this review out of both selfish and unselfish reasons. The selfish reason is because... I want to be able to refer back to my own review when I can afford to utilize Tim's minivan service... and unselfishly because I believe that if others are on the fence regarding which pet service to use (especially if you are not traveling with your animal) this review should most definitely make up your mind: Upon initial contact via phone, Tim does have, what seems to be (after reading others' reviews), a pat, long-winded 5 min monologue. LISTEN TO HIM. This guy is a WEALTH of information, and it is also clear by looking at his website-- he lists all sorts of animal-related services within the NYC area, among them: water therapy for dogs, airport transport, 24/7 emergency vet clinics, etc. This is a guy who has clearly been AROUND for a long time and who actually CARES. So zip-a-lip and listen, he GETS IT because he's been doing it. It is also clear that he is HONEST. He didn't hem and haw regarding his rates and explained the charges upfront. He then listed *to the nickel* how much other dog transport services would charge and what to expect from them-- how do I know? Because I called a few of them after I hung up with Tim, and I realized Tim not only is dead on, he GETS IT. I wound up going with his first recommendation and had absolutely zero surprises other than how glad I was that I had spoken with Tim and gotten this referral. After such a pleasant experience with Tim's referral "competition"... why would I decide to ever go with Tim at all? Why am I selfishly writing this to keep Tims' info handy? Read on, my friends... My dog is a working dog. While our work together is sporadic, there may come a time when he works more consistently and there also may come a time when I may not be able to travel with my dog. And when that time comes, I want someone that I am 100% confident in, someone whom I could trust would know what to do if there was an emergency, someone whose judgment is solid and aligned with my own, someone whom I also know wouldn't run up a bill but instead would make the best choice for my dog's well being considering all factors. That's Tim. I could tell this from over the phone because I listened to the guy. I don't know him personally, but I want to. And when that time comes, I will be negotiating Tim's rate into my dog's work contracts... and I won't even think twice. read more

This is an unusual review in that I didn't actually use them. A lengthy conversation with Tim resulted in discovering they were not the best fit for my needs, but Tim, or shall I call him Tim-ipedia, is a wealth of information. He gave me several referrals for other car services who could accommodate me and my dog in this instance, referrals to animal hospitals, and other little tricks of how to navigate NYC with a dog. My deepest gratitude and I will definitely call Tim for my next journey with my dog. Regards. Devon. read more

Tim Smith's pet minivan transport service is beyond excellent. We were so fortunate to find his website when planning the transport of our dog Lucita from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Newark airport. Tim couldn't have been more attentive. He was as professional as he was personable. He kept track of both flights (we flew out of Aguadilla) and was ready to advise us of any delays. When we arrived at Newark airport, he was in communication with us about where to go to find our pet and was there waiting for us. The mini van was spotless and very comfortable for us all. It is rare indeed to experience such efficiency and kindness. We highly recommend his services to anyone looking for reliable, honest, professional pet transport services. Dee Vitale Henle and Jan Henle read more

Didn't use the service but called at 8pm on a Sunday to arrange a Monday morning dog transport. Maybe it was past business hours but Tim was extremely condescending on the phone. I listened/responded respectfully for about 3-5 minutes just to make sure I wasn't misreading his tone. Nope, it was definitely one of the worst introductory customer service calls I've had with a local business. I'll go with one of the other dozens of well-reviewed pet taxi services in NYC. read more

Tim gave me a lot of great advice and is clearly an honest and thoughtful guy. I didn't actually use his service, per his advice, which turned out to be great advice. He did walk me through a bunch of issues with my dog and I appreciate his honesty and solid advice. If I had any kind of tricky situation relating to transporting my dog (by any mode of transport), I would call him in a heartbeat. He is one of those real unique people and he clearly considers himself a true professional and has a lot of knowledge to back that up. You might not end up using him but he is worth your first call. And if you are in a panic about something pet related that involves transport, he is worth your first call. Me and my poodle give Tim two thumbs and two paws up. read more

Tim was great! I didn't actually use his services for transport since he was already booked for my requested pick up time; however, he did refer me to two other services to check out. Following the call he immediately texted me the other services numbers. I ended up using one of the two services he recommended and their service was great also. Tim will definitely be first on my call list. Thanks Tim for going the extra mile! read more

I cannot speak to an actual ride as I am pretty sure this isn't a real company. Emailed to get a quote for a ride and instead he referred me to 2 companies that would take us for 'cheaper than he is' (2 of the *worst* reviewed car services on yelp.) AND he badmouthed 4 of the clearly more reputable companies on here by name. The other positive reviews here are almost all people who have never left a review before so likely not even real. BEWARE. read more

This guy is heaven sent .... Seriously I didn't even get him to drive me, but instead he helped me out by telling me where to go n who to call...n made some awesome other recommendations...seriously he just proved to me there are still some great selfless people in the world. Tim I can't recommend u enough I'm serious...THANK YOU SO MUCH! Bonnie says hello n thank u too read more

Great pet transport service. Nice new clean van, lots of room for your canine family member and for a crate if needed. Company communicates well ahead of time and arrives on time. read more

I didn't use his car service, but, definitely will. I actually called for a ride after my ride service ditched me and I was stranded in Far Rockaway with my large dog (who didn't have a carrier). He wasn't able to accommodate my request but instead suggested a few car services that would take dogs. I indeed found one, and it ended up being cheaper than my original car service! Was super thrilled. I will definitely use his services in the city, next time. read more

Tim is so helpful! Highly recommend contacting him if your in need of dog transportation. If he can't help you personally or you can't afford his service he is full of helpful tips and information to get your dog safe transportation. Thank you Tim! read more

I recently used the services of Tim's Pet Mini Van to transport my dog from Manhattan to a dog boarding lodge in western upstate New York. I was nervous about sending my dog without me so I did a lot of research on line and by phone calls...and decided that Tim was the best choice! I wasn't wrong! Tim runs a very professional business. He is a wealth of information about all things concerning your pet. He sends links to anything you discuss that might help with your pet needs, now and in the future. When he came to pick her up he made certain that she would feel comfortable with him, and gave me updates on the way so I wouldn't worry. His van is clean, roomy and of course, air conditioned. He made certain I had nothing to be worried about throughout the whole experience. That means everything to me when I am paying to be assured my very loved pet is well taken care of and arrives safely to her destination! As you can tell, I would absolutely recommend Tims Pet Mini Van to everyone and will use him again for all my future needs. Thank you Tim! read more

Tim was so incredibly great to work with! Our two dogs were traveling solo from overseas to JFK and Tim was helping us to get them to their final destination at a family member's home. The process involved a lot of moving pieces, delays, restarts, flight tracking, airway bills, cargo and customs and Tim was on top of it all, putting us at ease during the final stretch of the trip and also telling us what was needed paperwork wise from our end. Tim was there to pick up our dogs well in advance of them landing at the airport and provided us real time updates (across the globe) about what was happening and then finally, their safe arrival. This process was stressful and Tim really helped to put us at ease. If you are relocating pets, we urge you to use Tim! We cannot thank him enough for his flexibility, communication, and genuine care for our dogs! read more

Being 13 hours away from my new puppy, I was feeling helpless. Tim made the fear and helplessness go away. He was extremely knowledgeable about the rules and regulations for pet airline travel. He communicated with me throughout the day to make sure we had everything in order, from the kennel to the paperwork. This was all very short notice. The day of the flight Tim made sure to contact the puppy owner before he showed up. He made sure to give extra times for puppy potty breaks. He even knew which airport would be best for this flight. I received pictures the whole time from walking before the flight to weigh in and even the bill. I wouldn't just recommend Tim, I would think you are crazy for not hiring him. Tim is amazing! He cared so much for my dog that he sent me a text after the flight to make sure that everything worked out. Customer service all the way! read more

This guy is truly the worst at customer service, extremely talkative instead of getting to the point. But I would look past it, cause it was a necessity, impossible at problem-solving one day the drop-off point was late, this idiot is giving me a play by play while I specially told him I'm in the middle of a meeting. just handle it. so getting 100 broken text message of every minute, that he had my dogs is the only reason I didn't jump through the phone and made him choke on his fingers, even after that still used him but that was the straw that broke the camels back, every time he would show up early to my house and would tell me to bring them down when I would like, I gave him a time (cause the price would just keep increasing every trip) and said if you get here earlier like always let me know so I can bring them down, this horses ass then proceed to tack on $300 to the price for an extra half hour, when I saw him out the window downstairs already. the best thing that happened is that I no longer have to hear him speak!! there are way better services for a way better price and more professional read more

Rude and not helpful. I was prepared to pay what was required. When I called, the man just repeated a script and wouldn't let me ask questions. I had a specific problem involving my work schedule that was not exact (I am a nurse) and had to pick up a sick dog at an inexact time. All I wanted was information to see if the service could accomidate me. I didn want to book anappointment with a credit card if my dog wasn't ready to be discharged. ($1 for every minute wait) When I called back from the hospital he first told me he was the best in the city but couldn't pick me up. He than said "it doesn't work that way". I have to admit after 12 hours caring for sick people I was appalled at his demeanor. I did answer him back to say how could he be the best with that attitude and that he couldn't help me. I have also been in the animal service business and never talked to clients like he did. Forget this service read more

We recently made a huge move and used a pet transport company to move our 3-year-old lab mix across the country. They recommended Tim's Pet Minivan as a way to get our dog from their drop-off location to our front door, and I'm happy to say we had the best experience with Tim. From the first conversation I had with Tim, I knew he really cared about making sure we were at ease because he cared so much about the comfort and safety of our dog. Talk about exceptional customer service. From a location mix-up on my part to a longer-than-anticipated wait for Tim at the pick-up location (due to unexpected traffic the transport company encountered that morning due to an accident), Tim kept in constant (calm, reassuring, helpful) contact with me and went out of his way several times to ensure that everything went smoothly and that our pup was always safe and sound. I am so grateful to him for making sure our reunion with our dog was never worrisome. During a move, everything is stressful and chaotic, but with Tim's help, we never felt concern or anxiety about the safe return of our Buddy. THANK YOU, TIM, from the bottom of our hearts! :) -Stephanie, Andy & Buddy read more

I called Tim with a request to transport my dog from JFK to Angell Animal Hospital in Boston. After chatting with him, he provide me with amazing advice. He didn't even get the job, as he assisted me with traveling directly to Logan International. It was refreshing to deal with somebody who was not hungry for the money, but wanted to help me find the best possible means of transportation for my sick pup! Wish I could give this company more than 5 stars! read more

This company was prompt and worked with me to do an immediate interstate taxi service for my dog! I had a bad experience with another Pet Taxi in NY which I had reserved a spot with, and then the other company at the last minute said they were "running late" and could not help me out. So I called Tim's Pet Minivan and he arrived promptly./ He kept in touch by text message throughout, up until my dog safely arrived. the van is spacious and spotless. I would recommend this company. read more