Is my Postmaster Incorrect

[Fincloser]

I know shipping tarantulas via USPS is illegal! Not according to my postmaster. She Mrs. Johnson told me that there was no policy or law against shipping tarantulas that were non poisonous. I told her that they are considered venous and her reply was "honey we ant got no laws pertaining to venomous bugs, if it ain't poisonous we can ship it, let me look at the package". After the brief conversation she asked if I wanted priority or priority express. Now I know what I have read here on arachnoboards but if the postmaster in a very large metro said it's ok to ship and I can find no USPS rules against venomous animals why would I not use USPS?

Thanks
Tony

 

[Theneil]

https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c5_007.htm

At the end ".....ALL SPIDERS....."

 

[Fincloser]

https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c5_007.htm

At the end ".....ALL SPIDERS....."

I quoted that specific text and she asked me if it was poisonous and my reply was no it is venomous and her reply again was "we don't have any laws against shipping venomous bugs". Now if my local postmaster understands the difference between poisonous and venomous so would a court of law. She was more than willing to ship it knowing fully what was in the box. Mrs Shelia Johnson postmaster general. Made sure I got the name just in case. Truly not trying to make this difficult but are we as a community guessing what the law was intended for and not actually reading the law.

I agree it said all spiders (does not specify venomous or poisonous ) cannot be shipped. Probably best to use FedEx to be safe just went by the post office to see what they said and went with it.

 

[Theneil]

My interpretation of "All poisonous insects and all spiders" is that 'Poisonous insects' is one group of non-mailables and "all spiders" is a separate group but both groups are non-mailable.

i think your Postmaster may be slightly ignorant...

Edit: i don't think very many post office employees actually care what is in the box as long as whatever it is stays in the box. A LOT of people ship via USPS despite the law.

 

[Fincloser]

My interpretation of "All poisonous insects and all spiders" is that 'Poisonous insects' is one group of non-mailables and "all spiders" is a separate group but both groups are non-mailable.

i think your Postmaster may be slightly ignorant.

I believe you to be correct. I wonder why she was cool with shipping? Possibly just turn a blind eye and get another package out or true ignorance of her own companies policies?

 

[Greasylake]

I think I remember someone saying that they used the difference between venomous and poisonous as a defense in court and it didn't hold up, so yeah I think your postmaster isn't really being too helpful.

 

[Crone Returns]

I believe you to be correct. I wonder why she was cool with shipping? Possibly just turn a blind eye and get another package out or true ignorance of her own companies policies?

Or maybe she has Ts, too. Lol.

 

[viper69]

I think I remember someone saying that they used the difference between venomous and poisonous as a defense in court and it didn't hold up, so yeah I think your postmaster isn't really being too helpful.

I've always felt that for the citizen they would lose this battle, BUT if the shoe were on the other foot, the gov't would find someway to prove their case and win.

 

[Fincloser]

I’ve never heard of anyone admitting spiders are in the box , that’s a risky way to ask.

Well I was shipping some roaches at USPS on way to FedEx. I had the box with me and figured I would ask. The postmaster was more than willing to ship even after I told her "going to FedEx because I can't ship tarantulas USPS". She is my regular I see a few times a month to ship roaches. Of course being from the south she has alot more worries shipping roaches than tarantulas. I guess it's take a chance no matter who you ship with considering fedex has rules against shipping t's unless you have specific approval.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Well I was shipping some roaches at USPS on way to FedEx. I had the box with me and figured I would ask. The postmaster was more than willing to ship even after I told her "going to FedEx because I can't ship tarantulas USPS". She is my regular I see a few times a month to ship roaches. Of course being from the south she has alot more worries shipping roaches than tarantulas. I guess it's take a chance no matter who you ship with considering fedex has rules against shipping t's unless you have specific approval.

So fed ex dosnt care? There shipping is the priciest I paid $40 once and 35 on a diff site .

 

[SonsofArachne]

The Post Office is bleeding money. Who knows, maybe the postmasters get a bonus or some other "attaboy" the more money they bring in. Or maybe they really just don't care.