Shipping mishaps happen occasionally, though most of the time, a few dented boxes and irate customers are the only typical casualties. For USPS, however, one shipment mistake in Delaware has cost the lives of thousands of baby birds after 12,000 hatchlings were left abandoned in a warm truck without food and water.
The discovery happened in Camden, Delaware, back on May 2. The Department of Agriculture in Delaware, previously tipped off by the Sussex County post office, alerted the First State Animal Center and SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) to a truck shipment of birds rejected repeatedly across the US.
By the time the SPCA and First State Animal Center located the truck, the trailer floor and the crates were already soaked from the rotting carcass pile of some of the chicks. The bird species in the trailer included chicken, ducks, geese, quail, and more. Of the 10,000 to 12,000 chicks packed in the truck, only 8,000 survived, and the rest were already decomposing.
“After three and a half days in the heat, these crates were wet with dead fowl. It was a mess… They said that they’re gonna try to go after the post office to get recoupment. That doesn’t help us in the meantime,” according to John Parana of SPCA, transcript courtesy of WBNS 10TV.
First State Animal Center has taken the initiative to provide shelter for the 8,000 baby birds and is also in the process of rehoming them. So far, the shelter has rehomed only hundreds, and ironically, there have been potential adopters inquiring as to whether the abandoned and malnourished baby birds are viable for meat. The shelter refused such offers.
Why Were They Abandoned?
In light of the situation and potential animal cruelty scandal, USPS has responded to the incident, stating that it was aware of the mishap and is currently investigating the matter. However, they haven’t made plans yet on how to help the shelter rehome the surviving baby birds.
Apparently, the baby birds came from the Freedom Ranger Hatchery in Pennsylvania, and they were to be distributed all across the country. It’s not clear whether they were aware of the USPS shipment mistake prior to the discovery of the thousands of dead baby birds. Sadly, the hatchery can’t take back the surviving baby birds, citing biosecurity concerns as its primary reason.
The exact shipment was supposed to be distributed to Texas, Ohio, Florida, and other states, but for some reason, the truck went to Delaware after some shipping delays and rejections. According to Freedom Ranger Hatchery, the whole debacle and unnecessary bird death could’ve been avoided if USPS pushed through with the deliveries since the recipients are equipped to handle birds, even sickly and dying ones.
People online, however, can’t help but feel sorry for the rather morbid death of the baby birds, all because of some logistical problems.
“This is brutal,” points out Fritja
“Horrible timeline for eyes, ears, and a heart,” laments RevolutionaryCard512
“We have 8 chicks in the hands of USPS as we speak. We will be first time chicken parents. This isn’t exactly encouraging,” fears coinpile
