On May 2, about 12,000 chicks were found abandoned in a USPS truck at a Delaware mail distribution center. The shipping container held mainly Freedom Ranger chicks with a few young quail, turkey, and geese on their way to new homes in various states. The chicks were left for three days with no food or water, and many of them died and were malnourished. AP news states, “The United States Postal Service said in an email that it was aware of a process breakdown and was actively investigating what occurred.”
Currently, the approximate 2,000 remaining chicks are being cared for and rehomed at an animal shelter, but at the shelter’s cost. The Associated Press states that each chick is costing the shelter $5 a day, and as the chicks grow, the expense will increase. Only a few hundred chicks have been adopted, while thousands still overwhelm the shelter. Some employees have even used their own money to help the cause.
Cited Sources:
https://apnews.com/article/usps-abandon-chicks-thousands-nokill-814a2694d2aad29a7ebb6dbf0a1cebe3
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chicks-usps-truck-delaware-abandoned/
