Welcome > 5 Perishable Matter > 52 Animals > 526 Mailable Live Animals

526 Mailable Live Animals

Some animals are mailable under proper conditions. See the specific instructions as noted for the following kinds of animals:

Note: Regarding dead animals or parts of animals, see 526.7 and Exhibit 526.7.

Honeybees and queen honeybees must be free of disease, as required under federal and state regulations. The following additional conditions apply:

Honeybees. Honeybees are acceptable only via surface transportation, and must bear special handling fees, in addition to regular postage. Mailpieces must be plainly marked on the address side with “Live Bees” and “Surface Only” or “Surface Mail Only.” Queen Honeybees. Via air transportation. Only queen honey bees may be shipped via air transportation. Each queen honeybee shipped via air transportation may be accompanied by up to eight attendant honeybees. Via surface transportation. Queen honeybees shipped via surface transportation must bear special handling fees, in addition to regular postage.

All mailpieces containing queen honeybees must be plainly marked on the address side with “Live Queen Bees.” Refer to Exhibit 526.21 for a general summary of the requirements for mailing live bees.

Indemnity claims (see DMM 609) for damage, partial loss, and loss of insured shipments of mailable bees are accepted only in the following situations:

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.

The specific types of day-old poultry named in 526.31 are mailable subject to the following requirements:

See Exhibit 526.33, Requirements for Mailing Live, Day–Old Poultry. See Chapter 7 regarding domestic mail shipments sent via air transportation.

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:

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.

Adult birds are mailable only when sent under the following conditions:

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.

The mailing of scorpions is limited by the restrictions in 18 U.S.C. 1716. Under this limitation, scorpions are mailable only when sent for the purposes of medical research use or the manufacture of antivenin. Scorpions are nonmailable under any other circumstances. See Exhibit 526.5 for mailing conditions that apply to permissible shipments.

Small, harmless, cold–blooded animals, except for snakes, turtles, and turtle eggs, are mailable only when they meet certain requirements. For some examples, see Exhibit 526.6.

The dead bodies, or parts thereof, of any wild animals, wild birds, or eggs are acceptable for mailing only when they are lawfully killed or taken, and their shipment is not prohibited by law of the United States or of the state, territory, district, or foreign country or subdivision thereof in which killed or taken or offered for shipment. Mailing of fresh game is also subject to these standards. Dead animals or parts of animals include two groups of items:

See Exhibit 526.7 for additional information on the conditions for mailing.