UK Parcel Service Under Pressure To Shut Down
01 April 2009 by Sandra Patterson - © Hellmail.co.uk
A parcel service which sends live animals through conventional postal systems using what it describes as ’specialised packaging’, is facing a backlash of criticism from pet lovers and animal welfare activists.
Animal Parcels Ltd, which recently launched it’s UK website, www.animal-parcels.co.uk, will deliver anything from small mammals to large dogs from as little as £4.00. Angry protesters gathered outside its headquarters in East Anglia yesterday, with many demanding that the company shuts down its website and immediately cease operations.
“This company posts animals in boxes!” says Penny Walters, a member of Petworth Animal Welfare Society. “Animals are stuffed in small, inhumane, insanitary boxes, and then sent through the normal parcel systems the same as a parcel of books bought off Amazon”
A representative from the U.S. Federation of Animal Relocaters and Transporters told us:
“Animal Parcels Ltd is owned by an overseas company. They tried a similar thing here in the U.S. We successfully pushed for action through Congress and managed to get their website taken down after only a few days. They stopped trading here within a month/
“Pet couriers are expensive, and breeders are always looking to save money, but this is not the way. I hope that existing legislation governing the protection of animals in transit is as tough as that in America.
“The transportation of animals is a very serious business and animal welfare must always be the number one priority, not cost cutting. Companies such as this bring our whole industry into disrepute and need to be stamped on quickly.
Steve Lawson, editor for Hellmail the postal industry news site said:
“We are already familiar with Animal Parcels Ltd and have received numerous complaints about the service.
“Their interpretation of ’specialist boxes’ is suspect to say the least. We heard of one case where six baby owls were stacked upright, one on top of another in a cardboard tube. Thats is just unacceptable. There were no holes left for them to see out and no indication that the tube should only be stored one way up.” he said.
A facebook group have created an online petition for supporters to sign;
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/ban-animal-parcels/
