This is why I will not ship. (see unabridged messages below).
The only way to legally ship is private ground transport (aka
ridesharing in someone's car) and air ship.
If FedEx or UPS started to do that, overnight freight ship of
live animals (that they know are alive) I am not aware of it.
Due to various sticky points in previous years, it is illegal to
ship most live animals via postal service or private shippers.
I said *most*. There are exceptions. [Live chicks and tadpoles
are some I know of]
Most states have regulations, and sometimes require vet
certificates just like they were being shipped to/through Canada.
If you've managed to ship via a method other than air ship;
and the animals did arrive healthy; count yourself very lucky
and the animals very fortunate.
Deb Rebel
Rebel's Rodent Ranch
*****
[A. Gangi]
>I would NOT recommend overnight shipping or any other kind of postal
>shipping, period.
>
>You DO REALIZE that if you are caught you could be looking at hundreds if
>not thousands of dollars in fines and a criminal record, federal criminal
if
>shipping crosses state lines? (Yes people have been caught) The animals
>involved can also be confiscated. You may or may NOT get them back
>depending on the authorities involved. They can if they want to give them
>to a shelter where they will be adopted by someone else or euthanized.
>
>You DO REALIZE that goodness forbid your postally shipped gerbils are in
any
>sort of accident or become ill or even KILLED due to boxes being CRUSHED,
>left in too hot or cold of a location, or packed in such a way that not
>enough air gets in to them, that you can not in any way report it, collect
>damages or otherwise hold the postal office liable for animal neglect?
>
>Do you know that I know (personally) fanciers who have postal shipped
>animals (mostly rats) who arrived DEAD? Soem of them arrived in a crushed
>box, with one of them having a BROKEN JAW witht he bone protruding from the
>side of the face (this animal had to be put down). This could not be
>reported because to do so would expose that they illegally shipped mammals
>and instead of their collecting damages from the office THEY would be
paying
>fines for a criminal offense.
>
>LEGAL ways to ship: set up a carpool/relay; meet buyers half way; Or if
you
>can, ship by air. (all of these methods have dangers as well, but the
>difference is, you will not be riskign a federal criminal record, and if
the
>animals are injured or killed you have legal recourse to collect damages or
>file suit for neglect. Always insure any animals shipped to the greatest
>amount permissible.
>
>My personal prefference for shipping is fancier car relays. You KNOW that
a
>person experienced with the species is in the vehicle witht he animals
>giving them the best possible care through the trip. If anythign happens
>(eg: animals start to fight, an animal looks ill etc.) they can pull over
>and give appropiate intervention.
>
>I rarely ship by air, only when its out of the country or to the west coast
>since thats such a far distance its rare to be able to set up a relay to
>there.
>
>I NEVER EVER postal ship.
>
>and by the way, although i dont postal ship and rarely ship by air (done so
>like only 3 times over the past uhm 6 or 7 yrs now,), I still have gotten
>animals from washington state, wisconsin, california, iowa, michigan, new
>york, penselvania, florida, minnesota, massachutes, virginia, ohio (and I
>live in Illinois) and I have sent animals to all the above mentioned
states,
>iowa, idahao, kentucky, plus, most of the rest of the east coast and the
>Netherlands and there are animals of mine in britian. None, zero, zip
>nadda, of my animals have ever been hurt or killed in transport.
>
>~A.G.
>www.rodentfancy.com
>
>
>
>>From: Donna Anastasi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>>Reply-To: Donna Anastasi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>Subject: shipping gerbils
>>Date: Thu, 13 Jul 2000 07:07:25 -0400
>>
>>I've learned quite a bit about shipping gerbils from a couple of past
>>threads on the topic. But have not found too many detailed web site
>>descriptions on the topic. For starters, you could check out the GML
>>archive:
>>From February...
>>http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/thrd13.html
>>From March...
>>http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/thrd9.html
>>
>>I've had three gerbils shipped in so far -- I'd recommend the overnight
>>versus the two day shipping as the less stressful (well on me for
>>starters!) method. In overnight -- the gerbils are shipped out 10:00am
>>one day and arrive by 3:00 the next.
>>
>>Shipped in gerbils have very different behavior early-on than their true
>>personalities and it is very dependent on the individual:
>>#1 -- took to catapulting in the air when I came near him
>>#2 -- was relaxed and climbing into my hand right away
>>#3 -- just wanted to hide under a box all day.
>>
>>Within a week of handling and with introduction to cage mates all of
>>these are relaxed, active, friendly with no signs of the earlier
>>post-shipping behavior.
>>
>>I have not tried shipping out a gerbil.
