Abstract: A puller device (10) for engaging with a pallet of the type having at least a bottom deck formed of a plurality of substantially parallel spaced-apart slats, such slat being fixed to the slat-coupling side of a stringer that extends substantially orthogonal to the parallel slats. The puller device has a puller portion (11) having an elongated configuration along an axial direction thereof. The puller portion has first and second ends that are distal from one another. An engagement portion (13) is fixed to the first end of the puller portion and is provided with a stringer cradling portion (14) that is fixed to the first end of the puller portion and extends transverse to the axial direction for communicating with the slat-coupling side of the stringer in the region between the spaced-apart slats. The engagement portion has a thickness that is predetermined to prevent same from being urged between the slat and the stringer.