>nightmare. (Guess a 50 lb boa constrictor would be better!) AND since
>rodents chew, they can get out of boxes. I didn't feel like getting
>into it with him, so I just took my furry friends and left. He told
>me next time to use air cargo. So...what do you all think of this? I
>decided next time I will just tell them they are baby chicks. (That's
>what they thought they were at first from the scratching!) Any
>insight or comments would be helpful. Thanks,
>Cindy
We went over this earlier this year. It is a FEDERAL OFFENSE,
a FELONY, to mail live warm blooded animals via the USPS.
You are lucky, and even luckier was the person that shipped it
to you..that the animals weren't confiscated, you arrested, and
the shipper arrested also. I am NOT kidding.
A felony of that class is a year in jail and a ten grand fine.
Air freight is the only legal way other than private carrier (i.e.,
car transport or hiring a truck yourself).
I airshipped some animals earlier this year via Delta Dash Live
Animal Freight; and triple containered the animals. (smaller
boxes inside of jumbo kritter keepers inside of a carton with
hardware cloth inserts). I was most carefully warned that if
the animals got out I would get to pay for the plane being grounded,
fumigated, searched and recertified airworthy (no chewed wires).
The staff at Delta Dash Air Freight were most nice and helped
me as much as they could over the phone about how to container
the animals and what FCC regulations were in effect for the
health and containering of the animals (so much space per
each, so many per individual container, watering and feed and
temperature concerns, etc).
I am glad I put the jumbo kritter keepers in, as there were about
four escapees that got confined that way and did not get into
the outer carton or loose.
1.) It is illegal to ship live animals via the USPS. Certain labs
have exceptions to ship lab stock around; and reptiles, fish,
insects, and live chicks are exceptions.
2.) The clerks don't always know that it is illegal. Even if they
tell the person it's legal, it doesn't get anyone off the hook.
3.) Even if they take the box, it doesn't get you off the hook.
4.) If you falsify contents (i.e., label it lizards or live chicks)
you are in serious trouble too.
The one who shipped the box is in the most trouble....and if
they don't know who exactly sent it, whoever owns and/or
lives in the property listed on the return address is considered
the shipper. The clerk is aiding and abetting a felony. The
receiver is receiving illegally shipped goods.
I was in charge of trying to set up a rideshare project to carpool
animals across the country. And other legal methods of shipping.
Sorry to say RL has been killing me as of late and I have not had
time to redo and set up the webpages needed. [hubby is now
permanently disabled]
The only other legal means of shipping is Air Freight. With
veternarian health certification.
That is why it's such a big deal. And here on the forum, we try
to stress legal shipping. And I know, it's d*mn difficult to do
without it costing a lot.
