A Misdirected Shipment of Thousands of Birds Ends up in Delaware
Thousands of orphaned young birds that were recovered from a misdirected USPS shipment have been rehabilitated – and are now up for adoption to anyone interested. The First State Animal Center in Camden will post an announcement for the adoption process in the next week or so. The Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) was called on May 2nd about an undeliverable box of baby birds – which turned out to be multiple boxes of about 10,000 birds, which DDA turned over to First State Animal Center. Officials say about 4000 of the birds were deceased at the time of arrival. The abandoned birds include chicks, turkeys, geese, quail and chukars – shipped from a hatchery in Pennsylvania – some bound for Washington State. The hatchery is investigating how the birds ended up in Delaware.
Additional information from DDA:
The birds were shipped from the Freedom Ranger Hatchery in Pennsylvania on April 29th, which is a NPIP certified, Avian Influenza, and Pullorum-Typhoid clean Hatchery. Contact was made with Freedom Ranger Hatchery regarding the shipment. They are unsure of how all the birds ended up in Delaware. As many as 2,000 of these birds were labeled for delivery to Spokane, WA.
Our swift intervention ensured that the vulnerable animals were rescued. The coordinated effort highlighted the department’s commitment to animal welfare. Delaware Department of Agriculture is working closely with First State Animal Center to ensure that the chicks are rehabilitated and eventually rehomed to responsible caretakers, reinforcing the ongoing dedication to safeguarding animal rights and fostering a compassionate society.
The incident serves as an eye-opening reminder of the broader responsibilities we share in protecting and nurturing our agriculture community and its inhabitants. The collaboration between state agency, and local humanity-based organization (FSAC) exemplifies the powerful impact of collective action in addressing animal abandonment and neglect. By fostering partnerships and encouraging public participation, DDA is setting a precedent for other regions to follow in their efforts to combat animal mistreatment and promote ethical animal husbandry practices. This unified approach between DDA & FSAC not only addressed the immediate crises but also is providing the groundwork for long-term solutions that benefit both the animals and the community at large.