Parcels with a pulse

Staff writer Dionne Gleaton of The Times and Democrat in Orangeburg, South Carolina did a nice job with an article on shipping live animals via the US Post Office. Not too many people know you can do that.

She writes, "Bees, worms, biddies, baby ducks, roosters and even one of the oldest, most beautiful and unique breeds of bantam chickens are among the items the Orangeburg post office has shipped and received for individuals."

She quotes Orangeburg Postmaster Andre Small in the article as saying, "It is not the sort of mail you can sort and a carrier takes it to them. People didn’t know, but we get those roosters, baby chickens and bees quite often. And when we get them, we call the people early in the morning to tell him that they’re here."

Postal regulations covering the mailability of live animals are based on the humane consideration of the ability of the animals to survive without food or water for 72 hours according to PS-106 (601.9.3)

Shown above is a 1949 Boston Poultry show cachet tied to the 1948 Poultry Industry Centennial (Scott #969) which is currently be auctioned off on eBay.

As far as I know there were no chickens inside the envelope when it was mailed.

To read the entire article, click here.