Sigh.
Just because you do something, doesn't mean it's right. Either morally
or legally.
Flaming and name calling is not needed here.
1.) People have shipped animals via post.
They shouldn't have. It *IS* a federal offense. It breaks laws.
It can get you in a lot of hot water.
I used to live next door to my hometown's postmaster. I know of a
few things he approved to be sent; and it was caught and lots of
stuff rolled uphill about it. So those that work at a post office, don't
always know what can and can't be shipped.
Sometimes they take stuff and nobody knows better, and it gets
shipped and things are fine. That doesn't mean it's legal to ship
that stuff. It just happened to go through.
2.) Animals are not always available.
I've been there, many a time. It is either find one through sources
available, or have a friend coming through and bring one.
I have a good email friend, teen, that raises hamsters out east.
She had been looking for a certain color, and I have been trying
to breed that same color. In April, her family had to come through
here on the way to the west coast for a family emergency. I had
one of the hamsters she was looking for (black color carrier) and
arranged to meet them at a gas station right off an interstate
off-ramp ON THEIR WAY BACK HOME; and transfer to their
care the animal (a young female). They had picked up appropriate
supplies and the animal made the 2 1/2 day car trip back just fine.
This was one way to avoid shipping....
I am sure that other things could be arranged.
One person on this list, is looking for certain colors of gerbils.
I am planning a trip to his CITY, in another country, this fall.
If he is willing, and we can arrange the funds; I may be taking
a carryon of 2-4 gerbils of the colors they can't find there;
complete with vet certificate and pre-arrangements with the
airline.
I mention these, as there are ways to get animals around.
3.) Air ship.
I have done this with fish only (goldfish and koi, coming and going)
and it is not cheap. I agree. However, on all the shipments I was
a part of; we had people get together on each end and consolidate
the animals shipped. In this case, the bag filled styrofoam coolers
with cardboard cartons outside; were filled up (incoming, 2-5
people sharing one shipment, outgoing 2-3).
A little more preplanning would make things safer, legal, and
better for the animals.
I *AM* a member of the AGS and I don't ship rodents, unless
it could be car relay. I have been able to deliver a few hours
away from my house; and had people pick them up from there
and continue a few hours more to their home.
A hamster breeder in LA, has parents in Salt Lake City. We
set up a transfer for next year when I plan to be in SLC and
she'll be visited by her parents....I have a few other people
around here, who will receive animals from this shipment as
well, and after I retrieve them, will distribute them (some need
another 4-6 hour relay, part by me part by them).
Please, let us consider alternate routes (like the bus shipping
mentioned) or 'rideshare' or air ship...the legal alternatives.
Deb
Rebel's Rodent Ranch
***************************
>>From: Lillian Jones <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>>
>>A Gangi, just shut up!! You said yourself that this was a gerbil list
>>server, not a shipping list server. So stop being a hypocrite and find
>>something new to talk about.<
>
>Kindly do not put words in my mouth.
>I SAID that this is a gerbil list and that Shipping gerbils IS ON TOPIC.
>
>And if you want to support respectful conversation on this list, you can
try
>speaking so and avoiding things like "shut up", "hyprocrite" or speaking
for
>this list and saying "no one cares" when in fact several people have agreed
>with me on this list.
>
>>And frankly you can't really do anything about it
>>because registered breeders on AGS DO ship their gerbils so<
>
>I COULD contact the Inspector general and tell them to check out the
>archives of this list. They could then record the IP numbers of everyone
>who publicly stated here they postal ship, by which they can obtain their
>addresses and confront them at their post office next tiem they try to ship
>animals.
>
>And as president of another rodent club, for rats and mice, i DO do
>something about it. It would be wise of the AGS, to uphold the law. Just
>as they discourage people from owning or breeding gerbils in california,
>they could do the same regarding reports of postal shipping. Both are
>legal. And the california issue is "just" a state offense where as postal
>shippign is a federal one.
>
>A.G.
>www.rodentfancy.com
