Thousands of Chicks Abandoned in Postal Truck Seek New Homes
In a startling episode of logistical failure, an animal shelter in Delaware is stepping in to rehome thousands of chicks left stranded in a U.S. Postal Service truck. The chicks endured a three-day ordeal that resulted in significant losses among their numbers.
The Delaware Department of Agriculture was alerted by the U.S. Postal Service about an “undeliverable box of baby birds.” The shipment, originating from the Freedom Ranger Hatchery in Pennsylvania, was intended for various farms nationwide but never reached its destination. Upon inspection at a distribution center in Delaware, officials discovered that approximately 4,000 of the 12,000 chicks had perished.
Surviving chicks, numbering over 8,000, were transported to the First State Animal Center and SPCA in Camden, Delaware, which began offering them for adoption as of May 13. The shelter reported via social media that the chicks had been without essential resources such as food, water, and appropriate temperature control.
While the shelter has not provided comments to NPR, the Associated Press noted that adoption efforts have been slow, with only a few hundred chicks finding new homes thus far. Freedom Ranger Hatchery expressed its frustration over the incident, stating that the USPS has not provided clear information about the mishap.
USPS Promises Preventive Measures
The USPS acknowledged the tragedy, describing it as a “rare instance” of loss with these types of shipments. The postal service emphasized its commitment to working with hatcheries and delivery experts to prevent future occurrences.
The hatchery, citing biosecurity concerns, stated it could not retrieve the chicks. It described the shipment as routine and attributed the failure to deliver to the USPS. “This loss has compounding effects with the many small family farms across America that were counting on these birds,” the hatchery lamented.
According to USPS guidelines, live poultry shipments must be adequately ventilated and constructed for safe transport, ensuring delivery within 72 hours of hatching. Despite the USPS’s century-long history of shipping live animals, animal rights groups like PETA argue against the practice, citing safety concerns. PETA President Ingrid Newkirk has criticized the shipping method, highlighting the vulnerabilities chicks face during such journeys.
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
