New Postal Shipping Rules Proposed

[Martie]

Rich, how do you do the perch - do you just cut some dowel and jam it in the cardboard?

[wellingtoncdm]

Rich is quite the carrier designer... He's not afraid of a glue gun.

[kcdozy]

Part 2: Even though it says guaranteed overnight when shipping birds that is not true although most clerks do not know that. 95% of the time when I shipped it would take 2 days, (drop of at 4PM Wednesday and arrive early AM on Friday or if in a distant rural area Friday afternoon). Reason it takes 2 days is they are scheduled go out on a FEDEX plane and if there is any dry ice on that plane (usually for medical supplies) they will not put birds on that plane with dry ice. They then get held overnight and go out on the first available plane with no dry ice, no dry ice and they will arrive next day.
I really watch the weather especially if they will be going on a truck ride to a rural destination. I will ship owls down to 45 degrees because they will hunker down in the grass and cuddle, parrot finches 55. I really worry more about the heat than cold max temp 80 degrees if in rural area. If they are going from San Diego to another large city I don't worry about the heat so much because they arrive in the middle of the night.

[kcdozy]

Rich, how do you do the perch - do you just cut some dowel and jam it in the cardboard?

Rich, how do you do the perch - do you just cut some dowel and jam it in the cardboard?

Yes. I put one at each end of the box and use hot glue or gorilla tape to keep it in place.

[Martie]

Yes. I put one at each end of the box and use hot glue or gorilla tape to keep it in place.

Great - thank you!

[30 Seconds to Bob]

OK, as promised, I looked into this as I went back to work today. Yes the post office made some revisions to the DMM on Sept. 3 allowing other adult birds besides fowl and waterfowl to be knowingly and legally shipped through the US mail via Priority Express Mail Service.
HOWEVER, if you read carefully, it states that the weight of each INDIVIDUAL bird must exceed 6 ounces. Don't know of any finches or canaries that fall into this category. I know that some post offices will ignore the rules (which are in place for the health and well being of the birds) and continue to accept any kind of bird for shipment. If you've seen some of the things that I have, you probably wouldn't ship either. And don't shoot me, I'm just the messenger. Bob


9.3.4 Adult Birds
[9-3-13] Disease-free adult birds, weighing no more than 25 pounds, may be mailed domestically. Mailers must comply with all applicable governmental laws and regulations, including the Lacey Act, the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and regulations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and any state, municipal or local ordinances. Mailings must also be compliant with the guidelines provided in USPS Publication 14, Prohibitions and Restrictions on Mailing Animals, Plants, and Related Matter, Chapter 5. In addition, each container or package must be marked as required by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under 50 CFR 14.

Adult birds are mailable as follows:

a. The mailer must send adult birds by Priority Mail Express in approved, secure containers.

b. The number of birds per parcel must follow the container manufacturer limits and each bird must weigh more than 6 ounces.

c. A mailing container must be used that is constructed by a USPS-approved manufacturer.

d. Indemnity may be paid only for articles that are lost, damaged, or missing contents, and not for death of the birds in transit if there is no visible damage to the mailing container.

e. Postage refunds may not be available if the Priority Mail Express shipment was delivered or delivery was attempted within three days of the date of mailing as shown in the “Date In” box on Label 11.



Please note:
The Postal Service's Traffic Control System is used to advise
destination and transfer offices when any significant quantities of animals
are moving through the mail. Postal field personnel should ensure that the duration
of ground transportation (via trucks) is limited to a four-hour time period.
Any mailpiece identified as containing live birds must be handled
with care and sensitivity by postal employees.

[Martie]

So, Bob, we're actually still in the same boat as far as USPS shipping of finches is concerned? That's too bad - although I have to say, I absolutely prefer airline shipping anyway.

Thank you for all your help with this.

[debbie276]

Thanks for the follow-up Bob. Yeah, 6 ounces would be a huge finch

[Nerien]

Yeah, 6 ounces would be a huge finch

That would be one SCARY bird!