Japan Post Continues to Transport Animals in Yu-Packs, Ignoring Animal Suffering

For animals, the process of transportation is one of the most physically and mentally taxing, involving pain, suffering, and fear.

The Animal Rights Center previously conducted a survey of the courier industry’s consideration for animals in its Corporate Ethical Reporting survey, and the most egregious were Japan Post Co. Sagawa Kyubin and Seino Transport do not, in principle, transport live animals, while Kuroneko Yamato has a dedicated animal transport service and either makes special considerations or allows insects and fish (although Kuroneko Yamato has its own problems). On the other hand, Japan Post, even on its website, states publicly that it can transport live animals: birds, reptiles, fish, and insects, and it still does.

In fact, pet stores, breeders, and other first-class animal handlers also transport animals via YU-PACK, and around 2021 Japan Post’s website added the annotation, “Mammals cannot be sent via YU-PACK.” and even before that, it did not say that mammals could be transported. In fact, however, mammals have been transported, and the Animal Rights Center is aware that mammals were transported by a pet store to another branch under the false pretense that the contents were lizards, frogs, or turtles. In the end, this kind of fraud continues because the company claims to be able to transport animals. Frequent deliveries by Yuh-Pack have, in fact, resulted in the deaths of rodents and birds.

The Japan Post’s notes on sending live animals are horrendous.

The Problem

・ The company clearly states that the animals will not be fed or even watered = May fall under the penalties of Article 44, Paragraph 2 of the Animal Protection Law.
・ No temperature control or ventilation (no ventilation) = may fall under the penalty of Article 44, Paragraph 2 of the Animal Protection Law.
・ Predicted death due to transportation = May fall under the penalties of Article 44, ・Paragraph 2 of the Animal Welfare Law.
・The company claims that delivery may take 1 to 4 days, in which case the animals will not be fed or watered for 4 days, but no care will be provided = Possibility of falling under the penalty of Article 44, Paragraph 2 of the Animal Protection Law.

Japan Post undertakes to transport animals in violation of the Animal Protection Law. The fact that the company is notifying the customer indicates that it has already predicted that the animals will become debilitated and die, and even if this is not intentional, there is no doubt that it is an unintentional act.

The condition is that the animal must have consented to die, but in fact many animals have died during transport.

In the first place, what is the basis for saying that mammals are not allowed and birds and reptiles are allowed? Mammals need care, but birds do not? This is impossible, and they are the same protected animals and should be subject to penalties….

Requests and Responses from the Animal Rights Center

On March 28, the Animal Rights Center sent the following letter of request to Japan Post, demanding an immediate corrective action. However, as a result, we received a response that no correction would be made.

Written request from the Animal Rights Center

Letter of request regarding transportation of animals

We are a citizens’ group with the slogan “Compassion for All Animals” and are committed to eliminating the pain and suffering of animals, violence and discrimination against vulnerable people, and environmental problems.

Your company currently provides services for the transportation of non-mammalian animals. In addition, you have imposed conditions on the transportation of birds and reptiles, which are protected animals, as well as mammals, that are considered unethical, including the following.

No special care is required during transportation, such as feeding, watering, etc.
The client agrees that there is a risk of death due to lack of special handling (temperature control (air and water), ventilation, etc.).

Other courier companies basically do not transport mammals, birds, and reptiles, which are protected animals under the Animal Welfare and Control Law, and some offer specialized services. Therefore, your company’s service, which is less regulated, tended to be used frequently.

However, the transportation of animals is the most stressful part of the animal husbandry process, and it must be said that animals are improperly handled without temperature and humidity control, ventilation, and animal care, and of course without specialized personnel. It is highly likely that the animals suffer and even die during transportation. These may also fall under the penalties of Article 44.2 of the current Animal Welfare and Control Law, i.e., your transportation service seems to be in violation of the law.

Even if there is consent in the event of death, the sender would not be able to sue for damage to property based on ownership in the event of death, but could still be subject to penalties under the Animal Welfare and Management Act.

Therefore, we request that animal transport services be discontinued as soon as possible.

【Requests】
1: Urgently stop the transportation service for animals.

Reason 1: Transportation is the most burdensome process in animal care, and even with careful transportation, there is a high possibility of death.

Reason 2: Places without temperature control and ventilation can be considered “places where it is difficult to maintain health and safety,” which is a violation. For instance, lack of ventilation on hot days constitutes animal abuse.

Reason 3: If an animal is injured or becomes ill during transport, it must be treated promptly. Failure to do so constitutes “failure to provide adequate protection for a diseased or injured animal” as defined in the Penal Code.

Reason 4: Basically, water must be available to the animal at all times, as dehydration and salt poisoning can occur.

2: Until such time as animal transport services are discontinued, or if transport is to be conducted, ensure that professional personnel capable of taking care of the animal’s health are in charge of the transport, that proper feeding and watering, temperature and humidity control, and ventilation. If animals become sick or injured during transportation, promptly interrupt the transportation and seek immediate medical treatment for them.

Response from Japan Post

Requests Regarding Animal Transport (Response)
In response to your “Request Regarding the Transport of Animals” dated March 28, 2023, which was addressed to us by your company, our department, which is in charge of accepting shipments, would like to respond as follows.
We apologize for the delay in responding to your request.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your valuable feedback.
We are providing Yu-Pack service for our customers to keep their parcels, therefore, our response will be based on the assumption of using the Yu-Pack service.
We are always striving to improve the quality of our products in order to ensure the safe, secure, and reliable delivery of our customers’ important packages.
Due to the difficulty in distinguishing whether the content includes live animals or not, our company’s Q&A section on the website provides specific conditions under which Yu-Pack can be used to send aquatic creatures, reptiles, insects, and small animals such as birds. We handle Yu-Pack shipments that meet these specified conditions.
In addition, we do not expect to handle dogs, cats, and other mammals that require special care in transportation as Yu-Packs, and we decline to accept requests for the transportation of such animals.
Below are answers to each of your questions.

1: Urgently stop the transportation service for animals.
As mentioned above, we are unable to distinguish the handling of Yu-Pack shipments based on whether or not the contents are live animals, etc. Therefore, we have indicated our Websaitojyoude Conditions and will only accept shipments that meet those conditions.
In addition, Article 7, Paragraph 1 of the YU-PACK General Conditions of Carriage stipulates that we may refuse to accept animals that may cause harm to humans, so we do not handle packages that contain such animals.
When using Yu-Pack for general customers, “living creatures” that can be sent do not include “mammals”.

2 Assigning specialized personnel to be in charge of transporting animals until such time as we discontinue animal transportation services.
At present, there are no plans to establish a new specialized animal transport service.
At postal offices nationwide, handling a large number of packages daily, it is difficult to provide services tailored to the physiology, ecology, and behavior of animals. Therefore, if customers wish for special treatment, we inform that our company is unable to accommodate such requests and kindly suggest considering other transportation services that are equipped to handle such specific needs.

3 Other
We will continue to consider how we should provide this service in the future, taking into account the impact on our general customers.

The response states that live animals cannot be rejected because the contents cannot be confirmed, but on the other hand, it states that mammals and dangerous animals shall be rejected, which is contradictory. The first step is to clearly state that they are not to be handled in the same manner as mammals or animals that can cause harm to humans, but it only provides the conditions under the assumption that they are to be handled. Furthermore, the precautions indicate that the transportation of live animals by Yu-Pack itself is illegal, but the company does not seem to take this into account. One even feels that Japan Post’s own standards are written in such a way that they take precedence over the law. If the company cannot provide a service that suits the physiology, ecology, and habits of animals, it must realize that it is in violation of the Animal Welfare Law. We must also remember that all animals are subject to the Animal Protection Law, even if they are not subject to penalties. Live animals, even fish and insects, should not be sent by Yuh-Pack without any consideration.

How do you feel when you see these photos of animals sent to pet stores by Yu-Pack?

And how do you feel when you see the body of this animal that was found dead in transit? (The employee who found the body is burying it.) People who think that it is okay because it is not a dog or a cat, or that birds and reptiles are okay if they die are a bit crazy. But that is what Japan Post is saying.