Animal Transportation and Shipping

Lab Animal Transport: Reducing Stress During Shipping

Article Posted: November 01, 2003

The aim of this article is to present information that will help open a dialogue between you and your transportation provider. That is, to help you ask valuable questions, leading to better-informed decisions on the type of service that is most appropriate for any particular shipping requirement.

The aim of this article is to present information that will help open a dialogue between you and your transportation provider. That is, to help you ask valuable questions, leading to better-informed decisions on the type of service that is most appropriate for any particular shipping requirement. It is also through the sharing of information that will allow your transport company to provide you with the best possible service and also to develop services that will enhance the probability of a safe and stress reduced trip for your animals. Transportation is too often an afterthought. In view of the fact that it plays such a crucial role in research, it should be investigated thoroughly prior to making shipping decisions.

There are various transport options available to the research community and understanding the characteristics of each should help you inquire about the capability of each provider, ultimately allowing you to make the best decision for your animals.

The options that will be discussed in this article are Ground Transportation, Air Freight, and Specialty Courier. We hope to raise your awareness so that transportation is considered proactively and not reactively. The characteristics listed are neither positive nor negative. They are simply, we believe, main attributes of that particular mode of transport. It is up to you to decide what best satisfies your needs.

Live Animals being unloaded from their temperature controlled compartment

Here is a look at primary characteristics of various shipping methods for laboratory animals:

Related Topics: Animal Transportation and Shipping November/December 2003 ALN