52 Animals

521 General Requirements

The full cooperation of the mailer is essential to safely and effectively transport animals through the mail. The following considerations apply to all shipments of mailable live or dead animals:

1. Employee and Public Safety: Protection of Postal Service employees and the public against harm from dangerous or diseased animals.
2. Mail and Environmental Protection: Protection against:
1. Container Damage: Damage to the shipping container or other mailpieces from either the animal or the refrigerant used (e.g., moisture or condensation from melting ice, or pressure build-up from dry ice).
2. Obnoxious odors and noise.
3. Animal Welfare and Specimen Integrity: The following items must be considered to protect live animals against death or animal specimens against spoilage:
1. Time: Expected time in transit.
2. Temperature: Expected temperature in transit (weather conditions).
3. Packaging: Including insulation against impact, heat, cold, and preventing suffocation.
4. Ability to Survive Without Food: Live animals must be transported without food or water because liquids, moisture, and loose foodstuffs can cause damage to the shipping container, other mail, and Postal Service equipment during transport.
5. Coordination with Postal Service Transportation and Delivery Service: Mailers are urged to provide postmasters advanced notification of shipments of live animals. The Postal Service advises destination and transfer offices when any significant quantities of animals are moving in the mail. Postal Service field personnel should consider a 4-hour time limit on the period during which animals (especially bees, day-old poultry, and adult birds) may move in a regular, closed Postal Service vehicle.