Airline shipping regulations?

[suzhouchen]

I had a bird shipped in from an aviary in Texas through Delta airlines. It was sneezing when I got it out of cargo. It got worse as the days went by.

I took it took the Vet today and he suspects it aspirated when hand fed by the aviary before it was shipped. Don't worry my vet is nationally known and a top notch guy.

The aviary alleges she had it checked before shipping but cannot produce any health check records.

Does anyone have any idea what regulations are on shipping exotice birds. Are health checks mandatory prior to shipment?

Please spare me any lectures no matter how tempting it may be to let me have it. This has been a heart wrenching, hard hitting lesson that I will never forget and I am feeling bad enough.

If anyone knows anything and can offer insight, I would appreciate it.

Thanks you.

[Alan]

I have shipped 3 birds thru delta and no they odn't have any health cert requirement of any kind. I have never nor hos the lady that shipped them to me been asked for anything.

[Lori~D]

I only ship through Continental Pet Safe with great results so I cannot help you. I know they do require a health cert before traveling and one has come with every bird shipped. This would be hard to prove responsibility and costly for you to claim (requiring an attorney). A for the regs...here they are for Delta...
http://www.delta.com/planning_reserv...ions/index.jsp
Health Requirements
Health Certificate

A health certificate is required when shipping your pet as air cargo. While Delta does not require a health certificate for carried-on or checked pets, upon arrival, the certificate may be required by the state. For clarification, please call your veterinarian or see the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Veterinary Services.

The certificate must be issued by a licensed veterinarian within 10 days of transport. The certificate must contain:

* The shipper's name and address.
* Any tag numbers or tattoos assigned to the animal.
* The age of the animal being shipped (USDA regulations require animals be at least 8 weeks old and fully weaned before traveling).
* A statement that the animal is in good health.
* A list of administered inoculations, when applicable.
* The signature of the veterinarian.
* The date of the certificate.

If the shipper knows that the pet is pregnant, it must be noted on the health certificate.

[suzhouchen]

Originally Posted by Lori~D

I only ship through Continental Pet Safe with great results so I cannot help you. I know they do require a health cert before traveling and one has come with every bird shipped. This would be hard to prove responsibility and costly for you to claim (requiring an attorney). A for the regs...here they are for Delta...
Pet Travel Requirements & Restrictions
Health Requirements
Health Certificate

A health certificate is required when shipping your pet as air cargo. While Delta does not require a health certificate for carried-on or checked pets, upon arrival, the certificate may be required by the state. For clarification, please call your veterinarian or see the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Veterinary Services.

The certificate must be issued by a licensed veterinarian within 10 days of transport. The certificate must contain:

* The shipper's name and address.
* Any tag numbers or tattoos assigned to the animal.
* The age of the animal being shipped (USDA regulations require animals be at least 8 weeks old and fully weaned before traveling).
* A statement that the animal is in good health.
* A list of administered inoculations, when applicable.
* The signature of the veterinarian.
* The date of the certificate.

If the shipper knows that the pet is pregnant, it must be noted on the health certificate.

He was shipped as air cargo and I picked him up at Delta Cargo department. When I first asked the aviary she said he was health checked before she shipped him but when I asked for those records she back pedaled. Now she totally denies having him checked. She said she would "help" with the vet costs. My vet bill today was $345. The bill is definately an issue but the biggest issue is I am crushed to be losing this little baby. I am quite attached to him in just the 10 days that I have had him.

I will call Delta tomorrow.
Right now per Vet request, he is in a carrier on a towel with a heating pad under the carrier and a humidifier in the room. He had about 3 or 4 shots today but refused to take his meds tonight. I am planning on taking him to the local clinic in the morning to see if they will board and adminster meds until Monday. I am really worried right now.

[Lori~D]

My health Certs came direct handed to me (in person) WITH the carrier at the airport. Im surprised they shipped without one.
You need to have them show you how to administer the meds. Most birds will never take them wilingly and you cannot allow your emotions to get in the way. Just like a child you know what is right and they must get the meds. Sounds like a decent vet. Sounds like a crap breeder. Im sorry you have to go through this. Im inOhio, where is Troy, what kind of bird is it, PM me with the breeders name, maybe I can help in some way.

[xafsmom]

I ship regularly using both Continental and Delta. Both are decent carriers. Continental requires a health certificate now with -every- flight, regardless of state regulations. Delta does not require a health certificate for flight, but leaves that entirely up to you to figure out and deal with as per the necessity therein.

The main problem I think I see here is your interpretation of what a health certificate really is. This is a common misinterpretation for people. They think 'health certificate' = cultures, cbc, etc. The reality is that a standard 'flight' health check isn't really going to show you anything in particular. The vet looks over the bird physically and signs it off that it's physically able, in the vet's estimation to fly. That's it. Takes about 5 minutes total.

That's not really a true, comprehensive health check whatsoever. The vet will not do cultures, testing, etc. The vet is simply making certain the bird does not show any specific visible signs of disease like legions, crusty vent, emaciated presence, swollen eye tissue, etc.

Mild aspiration isn't going to show up in a basic airlines health certificate type of examination at all. It actually works this way with mild aspiration:

You feed the bird, it mildly aspirates, you wait it out, make sure it doesn't die and all that... if it doesn't, after a couple of hours of hearing the breathing click, it will either worsen or improve and the clicking is gone.

What you're left with is a visibly healthy bird and that is what the vet sees when he does a basic flight health check. Even lung sounds will appear normative at that point.

What is reality is that though it's visibly 'fine', is that the formula it aspirated has now been going crazy multiplying bacteria. Thus, you end up with bacterial/fungal infections.

It's typical when you end up oopsing and mildly aspirating a baby to follow it up with a course of treatment for a preventative. It sounds like your breeder didn't do so.

This falls under a health guarantee that you should have received on accepting a healthy baby. Sounds like you need to start battling the breeder for vet costs outside of the 'new baby' check up. A good breeder will reimburse you for the cost of medications, and any further tests and visits related to that particular problem. Or, request the bird be returned and either replace the bird with a perfectly healthy one of your specifications (what you ordered) or give credit/refund, depending upon their policy.

However, since you state the bird was being hand-fed still (else, why would a breeder give a weaned bird formula before shipping?)... IF you bought an unweaned baby, you will probably not have a guarantee at all, but an AS IS situation for having an unweaned baby.

IF you purchased the baby entirely weaned, then again, you have to question the breeder why he would be hand-feeding a weaned baby and start proceedings to hand the breeder his ....ya knows, to get this settled in your favor.

Hope that clears some stuff up for ya!

[SerBonz]

I don't think birds should be shipped. It is really not what is best for them.

I would never consider putting a bird in the hands of incompetent airlines workers.

[Lori~D]

I couldnt have said it better myself XAFSMOM is absolutly right.



"I would never consider putting a bird in the hands of incompetent airlines workers."


So - the judgement begins again....ALL airlines workers are Incompetent. hmm
Gosh cant anybody understand that most of us on this earth are just going to work day in and day out to make a living no matter WHAT is is we do and that if peeps would quit JUDGING each other and start helping each other by SHARing our education we might all get along a whole lot better.

[loganzheroz06]

Lori.
Im sure she was just stating her opinon. Not judging her for getting her bird shipped.
On that note. I got my zon shipped to me from PA on cont. and they do not require you to have a health cert.

[xafsmom]

That's unusual! I can't ship out without one using Cont. The PA branch might not be reading their own company information ...or at least what they're telling us shippers!

*shakes fist at Cont!*