Abandoned Chicks at the Post Office

[nightwing1]

Hey all. My husband stopped in at our local post office to mail something and heard a familiar peep. 8 chicks had been waiting since yesterday to get picked up. a couple of voicemails have been left to the customer to come pick them up. No answer. No customer. It's starting to get smelly and they're coming up on 72 hours. No food, water, or heat. My husband offered to take them at least just to rescue them and re-home them if necessary, but after talking to the postmaster general, the clerk was told she couldn't essentially give someone's mail to the wrong person. Husband promptly returned to the post office with some crushed up layer feed and electrolyte water just for good measure (no starter feed on hand anymore).

Anything we can do? Is there any point at which the post office can release them as unclaimed mail? I get federal law and all, but does anyone know if there might be an exception with live animals? It just seems cruel to let the clock run out if no one wants them.

 

[TheCluckyClucker2]

Agreed! I think they should let you take them home and if their person comes for them, just bring them back and return them.

 

[janiedoe]

Hey all. My husband stopped in at our local post office to mail something and heard a familiar peep. 8 chicks had been waiting since yesterday to get picked up. a couple of voicemails have been left to the customer to come pick them up. No answer. No customer. It's starting to get smelly and they're coming up on 72 hours. No food, water, or heat. My husband offered to take them at least just to rescue them and re-home them, but after talking to the postmaster general, the clerk was told she couldn't essentially give someone's mail to the wrong person. Husband promptly returned to the post office with some crushed up layer feed and electrolyte water just for good measure (no starter feed on hand anymore).

Anything we can do? Is there any point at which the post office can release them as unclaimed mail? I get federal law and all, but does anyone know if there might be an exception with live animals? It just seems cruel to let the clock run out if no one wants them.

That is just horrible!
I know that I've read posts where people have been given unclaimed chicks.
I would call PETA, animal control, and my congressman. I don't know how the postmaster could be so ridiculously inept. Morals should trump laws, and common sense should always prevale.

 

[MTKitty]

That is just horrible!
I know that I've read posts where people have been given unclaimed chicks.
I would call PETA, animal control, and my congressman. I don't know how the postmaster could be so ridiculously inept. Morals should trump laws, and common sense should always prevale.

The post master is not inept, he/she is following the law. They can no more hand over the chicks than they could hand over any other mail because the addressee did not stop to pick it up. I’m sure they have no interest in throwing away their job or risking jail/fines for a box, even if it contains live animals.

After a certain number of attempts, they are likely required to handle the package like any other unclaimed parcel - return it to the sender. In all likelihood the chicks will be dead by then.

Does it suck? Absolutely. Is it the PO’s fault (or even the shipper’s)? Nope. For that matter, without knowing the whole story, the receiver may not be at fault. They could have had a family emergency or even have dropped dead.

 

[Iluveggers]

Would the post office be able to tell you the address so you could attempt to go there and find who they belong to? I don’t know if that would be legal either?

 

[nightwing1]

With a regular ol' envelope or package, it totally makes sense to return it to the sender. Live animals, though- I was hoping there'd be something a little more nuanced that sending back a box of dead chicks. I'm not as much interested in assigning fault or getting a hard-working clerk fired as I am crowdsourcing for any info or experiences that might be productive because yeah, it totally sucks and if I can do anything to prevent that outcome, I'd be on board.

 

[McChooky]

The hatchery told me if I didn't pick my chicks up within 8 hrs of their arrival they would be given to someone else.I don't know if other hatcheries have this policy.I imagine they have to give the post office permission to give them away.

 

[McChooky]

The hatchery I used states they are not responsible if the chicks are not picked up in 8 hours

 

[Silexian]

Would the post office be able to tell you the address so you could attempt to go there and find who they belong to? I don’t know if that would be legal either?

That is definitely not legal! Like MTKitty has stated. It is not that the postal workers or inept or not caring. The mail is closely monitored. The USPS has inspectors and their own police department. Even lifting a corner of the shipping container to add food or water is considered tampering. The post office has a good all around compensation package. Which most are not willing to risk. Sadly, even if they got a rescue organization involved. By the time they got over all the legal hurdles. It would be too late for the chicks.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

Hey all. My husband stopped in at our local post office to mail something and heard a familiar peep. 8 chicks had been waiting since yesterday to get picked up. a couple of voicemails have been left to the customer to come pick them up. No answer. No customer. It's starting to get smelly and they're coming up on 72 hours. No food, water, or heat. My husband offered to take them at least just to rescue them and re-home them if necessary, but after talking to the postmaster general, the clerk was told she couldn't essentially give someone's mail to the wrong person. Husband promptly returned to the post office with some crushed up layer feed and electrolyte water just for good measure (no starter feed on hand anymore).

Anything we can do? Is there any point at which the post office can release them as unclaimed mail? I get federal law and all, but does anyone know if there might be an exception with live animals? It just seems cruel to let the clock run out if no one wants them.

when my order was lost I tracked it down and at 5AM I managed to get ahold of someone working in that city. I asked her if she would open the box and give them water which she did. I think that may be all you can do. Find the right person thats willing to go against the rules a little. Ask them to add an apple sliced up or something along those lines and that might give them enough to make it back to sender.