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To: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],
Say No to Shipping Ban of all animals in NY bill A04611
Vote No on Bill A04611
Why is this important?
Agriculture Committee Members,
I oppose bill A04611.
This bill has broad sweeping negative impacts on many animal interest groups including farmers, bird breeders, reptile keepers, mammal breeders, and more. New York Assembly Bill 4611 (A04611) was introduced on February 4. This bill seeks to ban the shipping of all mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. This included shipments within, into and from the state (both import and export). Per the bill, shipping via any “mail carrier” will be banned so that includes the commonly utilized overnight services from major carriers such as FedEx and UPS (for verified shippers). A04611 was assigned to the Assembly Agriculture Committee. Fines can be $1,000 per violation. Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal introduced the bill and she sits on the assigned Agriculture Committee. The Committee members must be made aware of the broad sweeping repercussions of this bill and informed of the many shipping regulations, restrictions, and safeguards already in place.
Please allow me to inform you regarding the many regulations already in place to protect animals. Stringent policies are already in place by shipping companies, as well as various federal and state animal welfare laws.
First, mail carriers already prohibit the shipment of many animals. The United States Postal Services (USPS) prohibits the shipping of mammals, most birds, turtles, and snakes. The United Parcel Service (UPS) does not allow shipments of mammals, birds, or snakes. Other companies have various restrictions and certifications. For example, FedEx requires that you have a Live Reptile Certification in order to ship live reptiles.
If a carrier does allow for the shipment of certain live animals, there are stringent policies and laws in place. These include but are not limited to:
Containers must meet construction standards;
Proper ventilation;
Veterinary health certificates and inspections;
Use of heat/cold packs during certain weather conditions;
International Air Transport Association (IATA) standards;
International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) standards;
Labeling requirements;
Internal packaging requirements;
The federal Lacey Act.
Not only are all of these regulations already in place, but shipments are required to be done as timely as possible. When reptiles are shipped, they are delivered to the carrier or picked up late in the day and then delivered early the following day. The travel time is always less than 24 hours, and typically closer to 12 hours. Animals also are not shipped during temperature extremes as various thresholds for animal safety are applicable (too hot/too cold).
The shipping of live animals is a serious matter, is not unregulated, and is not taken lightly by either the shippers or the carriers. For those who do ship animals, protections and safeguards for those animals are numerous.
I hope you oppose and stop A04611. It is a misguided bill attempting to fix a problem that does not exist due to so many protections already existing. A04611 is bad for New York, the residents, and the animals. Thank you for your time and consideration on this matter. Have a good day.
Bill Text
February 4, 2021
Introduced by M. of A. L. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to prohibiting the shipment of certain live animals by postal mail
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new
2 section 382 to read as follows:
3 § 382. Prohibition of the shipping of live animals by postal mail. 1.
4 It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, partnership or corporation to
5 mail or offer for mailing a live animal by postal mail into or within
6 the state of New York or from the state of New York to points outside
7 the state of New York. As used in this section, "live animal" shall
8 mean any mammal, bird, reptile, or amphibian. "Postal mail" shall mean
9 mail that is processed and delivered by the United States postal service
10 or other mail carrier. A person, firm, partnership or corporation shall
11 be considered to have mailed or offered for mailing a live animal in
12 violation of this section when such person, firm, partnership or corpo-
13 ration causes such live animal and applicable postage or shipping fee to
14 be physically placed in the possession of the United States postal
15 service or other mail carrier.
16 2. A violation of this section shall be punishable by a civil penalty
17 not to exceed one thousand dollars. Each such violation shall be deemed
18 a separate violation with respect to each animal mailed or offered for
19 mailing.
20 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately
Sincerely,
I oppose bill A04611.
This bill has broad sweeping negative impacts on many animal interest groups including farmers, bird breeders, reptile keepers, mammal breeders, and more. New York Assembly Bill 4611 (A04611) was introduced on February 4. This bill seeks to ban the shipping of all mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. This included shipments within, into and from the state (both import and export). Per the bill, shipping via any “mail carrier” will be banned so that includes the commonly utilized overnight services from major carriers such as FedEx and UPS (for verified shippers). A04611 was assigned to the Assembly Agriculture Committee. Fines can be $1,000 per violation. Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal introduced the bill and she sits on the assigned Agriculture Committee. The Committee members must be made aware of the broad sweeping repercussions of this bill and informed of the many shipping regulations, restrictions, and safeguards already in place.
Please allow me to inform you regarding the many regulations already in place to protect animals. Stringent policies are already in place by shipping companies, as well as various federal and state animal welfare laws.
First, mail carriers already prohibit the shipment of many animals. The United States Postal Services (USPS) prohibits the shipping of mammals, most birds, turtles, and snakes. The United Parcel Service (UPS) does not allow shipments of mammals, birds, or snakes. Other companies have various restrictions and certifications. For example, FedEx requires that you have a Live Reptile Certification in order to ship live reptiles.
If a carrier does allow for the shipment of certain live animals, there are stringent policies and laws in place. These include but are not limited to:
Containers must meet construction standards;
Proper ventilation;
Veterinary health certificates and inspections;
Use of heat/cold packs during certain weather conditions;
International Air Transport Association (IATA) standards;
International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) standards;
Labeling requirements;
Internal packaging requirements;
The federal Lacey Act.
Not only are all of these regulations already in place, but shipments are required to be done as timely as possible. When reptiles are shipped, they are delivered to the carrier or picked up late in the day and then delivered early the following day. The travel time is always less than 24 hours, and typically closer to 12 hours. Animals also are not shipped during temperature extremes as various thresholds for animal safety are applicable (too hot/too cold).
The shipping of live animals is a serious matter, is not unregulated, and is not taken lightly by either the shippers or the carriers. For those who do ship animals, protections and safeguards for those animals are numerous.
I hope you oppose and stop A04611. It is a misguided bill attempting to fix a problem that does not exist due to so many protections already existing. A04611 is bad for New York, the residents, and the animals. Thank you for your time and consideration on this matter. Have a good day.
Bill Text
February 4, 2021
Introduced by M. of A. L. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to prohibiting the shipment of certain live animals by postal mail
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new
2 section 382 to read as follows:
3 § 382. Prohibition of the shipping of live animals by postal mail. 1.
4 It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, partnership or corporation to
5 mail or offer for mailing a live animal by postal mail into or within
6 the state of New York or from the state of New York to points outside
7 the state of New York. As used in this section, "live animal" shall
8 mean any mammal, bird, reptile, or amphibian. "Postal mail" shall mean
9 mail that is processed and delivered by the United States postal service
10 or other mail carrier. A person, firm, partnership or corporation shall
11 be considered to have mailed or offered for mailing a live animal in
12 violation of this section when such person, firm, partnership or corpo-
13 ration causes such live animal and applicable postage or shipping fee to
14 be physically placed in the possession of the United States postal
15 service or other mail carrier.
16 2. A violation of this section shall be punishable by a civil penalty
17 not to exceed one thousand dollars. Each such violation shall be deemed
18 a separate violation with respect to each animal mailed or offered for
19 mailing.
20 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately
Sincerely,