New U.S. Postal Service packaging and labeling rules for live-animal shipments took effect Oct. 19. The change matters to anyone preparing to mail chicks or other animals the Postal Service accepts: the shipping container and its markings now need a closer check before mailing.
Comal County residents who mail eligible live animals must follow the new container rules, including the ban on reusing fiberboard containers. The final rule calls for new, double-wall, weather-resistant containers. When multiple live-animal containers are strapped together, each container needs its own address label and a sequential number.
From the source record
The Postal Service is revising Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail (Pub 52), to improve package integrity and container identification for live animal shipments during processing and handling.Federal Register ↗
The rule treats adult-bird addressing differently: writing the recipient’s name and address directly on an adult-bird container is a recommendation, while the separate labels and numbers for strapped containers are requirements. The Postal Service says the changes are intended to improve package integrity and identification during handling.
Before preparing a shipment, senders can inspect the Postal Service’s published rule for the exact container and marking language. The rule does not establish a guaranteed delivery time for live animals. Whether a particular animal and shipment qualify for mailing remains a separate acceptance question.