Mailable Live Animals, USPS link

[John W Blehm]

http://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c5_008.htm

526.3 Live, Day–Old Poultry
526.31 General
The following live, day–old animals are acceptable for mailing when properly packaged: chickens, ducks, emus, geese, guinea birds, partridges, pheasants (only during April through August), quail, and turkeys. All other types of live, day–old poultry are nonmailable. Day–old poultry vaccinated with Newcastle disease (live virus) also is nonmailable.
526.32 Mailability Requirements
The specific types of day-old poultry named in 526.31 are mailable subject to the following requirements:
Poultry that is not more than 24 hours old and is presented for mailing in the original, unopened hatchery box from the hatchery of origin.
The date and hour of hatching is noted on the box by a representative of the hatchery who has personal knowledge thereof. (For Collect on Delivery (COD) shipments made by a hatchery for the account of others, the name or initials and address of the hatchery or the Post Office box number and address of the hatchery must be prominently shown for this standard.)
Box is properly ventilated, of proper construction and strength to bear safe transport in the mail, and is not stacked more than 10 units high.
Day–old poultry is mailed early enough in the week to avoid receipt at the office of address (in case of missed connections) on a Sunday, a national holiday, or the afternoon before a Sunday or national holiday.
Day–old poultry can be delivered to the addressee within 72 hours of the time of hatching.
Day-old poultry sent via surface transportation, must include special handling service fees, in addition to regular postage.
Day-old poultry sent via air transportation must meet all provisions of the airlines. Delivery of the mailpiece is dependent on the availability of air carriers having available equipment to safely deliver the day–old poultry within the specified time limit.
Day–old poultry that is first shipped via a commercial air express or air cargo service and then presented for mailing to a final destination must be in good condition and properly packaged as specified in 526.32a-e.
Boxes of day–old poultry of about identical size, securely fastened together to prevent separation in transit, may be accepted for mailing as a single parcel, provided the total length and girth combined does not exceed Postal Service limits.
See Exhibit 526.33, Requirements for Mailing Live, Day–Old Poultry. See Chapter 7 regarding domestic mail shipments sent via air transportation.
526.33 Claims for Live, Day–Old Poultry
Indemnity claims (see DMM 609) for damage, partial loss, and loss of insured shipments of mailable, live, day–old poultry are accepted only in the following situations:
Death of the live, day–old poultry resulted from Postal Service handling after conditions for mailability were met and when there was strong likelihood that the shipment could have been safely transported.
Contents were lost because of damage to the container while in Postal Service custody.
The complete package was lost in the mail.
Special handling was purchased as required under 526.32f.
 
Exhibit 526.33 
Requirements for Mailing Live, Day–Old Poultry
Answer each question and follow the instruction as indicated.
YES
NO
1.
Is poultry live, day-old poultry as listed in 526.31?
If pheasants, they are mailable only during April through August.
Go to No. 2.
If not day–old poultry, item is NONMAILABLE. If not poultry or not day-old, check other mailable animal types in Section 52 to determine mailability.
2.
Was hatching time 24 hours ago or less?
Go to No. 3.
NONMAILABLE.
3.
Was poultry presented for mailing in original, unopened hatchery box from hatchery of origin?
Go to No. 4.
Do not accept.
4.
Are boxes properly ventilated and of proper construction and strength to bear safe transport in mail?
Note: Boxes of approximately identical size, securely fastened to prevent separation in transit, may be accepted for mailing as a single parcel if the mailpiece does not exceed DMM limits for combined length and girth or exceed 70 pounds in weight.
Boxes are not to be stacked more than 10 units high.
Go to No. 5.
Do not accept.
5.
Are the date and hour of hatching noted on box by representative of hatchery who has personal knowledge of facts?
Go to No. 6.
Do not accept.
6.
Did shipment originate at another office, or was it sent by air express or air cargo and then presented for mailing?
Before accepting, take special precautions to ensure that shipment is in excellent condition.
Go to No. 7.
Go to No. 7.
7.
Is the shipment being mailed with a special handling service charge, in addition to regular postage? Exception: shipment is being mailed via air transportation.
Go to No. 8.
Shipment must include special handling service to be mailable.
8.
If shipment is COD, have all conditions for using COD service (as required in DMM 503.11) been met? If not COD, go to No. 9.
Go to No. 9.
If COD, do not accept unless all applicable requirements in DMM 503.11 are met.
9.
Is poultry being mailed sufficiently early in week to avoid arrival at the delivery post office on Sunday or holiday, or on afternoon preceding Sunday or holiday?
Go to No. 10.
Do not accept.
10.
Can poultry be delivered to addressee within 72 hours of time of hatching, regardless of whether addressee resides in town or on rural or highway contract route?
Accept for mailing.
Do not accept.
526.4 Adult Birds
526.41 General
Disease-free adult birds may be mailed domestically when shipped under 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. 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 requirements 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 must be properly packaged and able to sustain shipment 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.
526.42 Mailability Requirements
Adult birds are mailable only when sent under the following conditions:
The shipment is mailed using Priority Mail Express service.
Each bird must weigh more than 6 ounces and no more than 25 pounds.
The number of birds per parcel must follow the container manufacturer limits.
The mailer must secure containers approved by the manager, Product Classification (see 214 for address).
A mailing container must be used that is constructed by a USPS-approved manufacturer listed on the RIBBS website at http://ribbs.usps.gov.
526.43 Claims for Adult Birds
Indemnity may be paid only for articles that are lost, damaged, or for missing contents, and not for death of the birds in transit if there is no visible damage to the mailing container.
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. See DMM 609.