Shipping Fulfillment and Updates: Weather, Holidays, and Carrier ImpactsUpdated 2 days ago
At Small Pet Select, we’re committed to ensuring your orders arrive as smoothly and quickly as possible—even when weather, holidays, or other disruptions impact delivery. Here’s the latest on how these events may affect shipping.
Current Updates
Shipping & Delay Update — October 20, 2025
We’re experiencing some unexpected hiccups today due to a global Amazon Web Services (AWS) outage that began early this morning.
AWS powers a huge portion of online systems across the world, including ShipStation, the platform we use to process and print your shipping labels. Due to this outage, our warehouses are temporarily unable to print labels, which means some orders will not ship out today.
Here’s what’s happening behind the scenes:
The global AWS issue started around 3 AM ET, and while Amazon reported progress at 5:22 AM, full resolution didn’t occur until around 6:35 AM.
Although the core issue has been fixed, there’s a backlog of system tasks being processed, so it may take additional time before everything is running smoothly again.
AWS supports over 240 cloud-based services worldwide, so this has had wide-ranging effects across many online tools and businesses—not just ours.
Our warehouse teams are standing by to get orders moving as soon as ShipStation is back up to full speed. Orders already in transit are not affected, but those scheduled to ship today may go out tomorrow instead.
We truly appreciate your patience while we work through this temporary slowdown. We’ll keep this FAQ updated as things progress.
If your bunny, piggy, or chinchilla is running low on their favorite hay or treats, please reach out—we’ll do everything we can to make sure they don’t miss a meal or snack time.
Auto-ship orders will continue to process automatically according to your schedule. For full details, please see our Auto-Ship Terms, Conditions & Cancelation Policy .
Warehouse Operations
Weekend Closures
Most of our warehouses take a little weekend break, so orders placed during that time start processing on Monday. Our KY warehouse, though, works a half-day schedule on both Saturdays and Sundays, and our WA warehouse runs a half-day on Sundays. This helps a few orders hop into processing a bit earlier and keeps things moving along smoothly.Flexible Fulfillment
Your order may be split and shipped from a different warehouse depending on stock availability. This helps minimize delays and get your pet supplies to you faster.
Carrier Updates
UPS
- For updates: Visit UPS Service Alerts.
FedEx
- For updates: Visit FedEx Service Alerts.
USPS
- For updates: Visit USPS Service Alerts
Plan Ahead: Tips for Smooth Deliveries
We know your small pets count on us (and you) to keep their favorite supplies on hand. Here’s how to plan ahead:
- Order Early
Stock up on hay, bedding, and other essentials to account for potential delays. - Track Your Package
Use the tracking link in your confirmation email for the latest updates on your order. - Choose Reliable Shipping
Orders over 5 lbs qualify for UPS Ground, which is often the fastest and most dependable shipping option.
We’re Here for You
We understand that delays can be frustrating, but rest assured, we’re doing everything we can to deliver your pet supplies quickly and safely. If you have questions or concerns, our team is ready to assist. 🐾
Thank you for trusting us to care for your small pets. Stay safe, and give them an extra cuddle from all of us at Small Pet Select! 💚