Investigation Underway After Ferret Was Shipped In A Cardboard Box
By Jamie Leary
DENVER (CBS4) - Denver Police are investigating a case of animal cruelty after a ferret was mailed through the U.S. Postal Service last week.
Staff at Denver's mail sorting facility discovered the ferret after she chewed through her packaging. When staff finally caught her, they called Denver Animal Protection.
"I was like 'you have a what?'" said Lorraine Pacheco, a field officer.
Pacheco has worked for Denver Animal Protection for 19 years. She thought she had heard everything until that phone call.
"The animal apparently didn't like it's traveling arrangements and chewed its way out and got out at the general mail facility," she said.
Investigators say the package came from Fort Morgan, and they know who sent it. Denver Police investigators are looking into the circumstances and whether or not charges will be filed.
"She's going to be living with us until the investigation is over," said Pacheco.
She says the box was a typical brown package. She says it had some depth and was about a foot long.
"You could see the little chew marks. She only needed a hole about maybe that big," Pacheco said.
When the animal arrived, Pacheco says it was scared, dehydrated and only wanted to sleep. More than a week later, her spunk is back. Staff caring for the ferret at the Denver Animal Shelter says she is enjoying her temporary home.
"She started to act like a normal ferret!" Pacheco said as she took the ferret out of her cage.
The ferret wasn't mailed with a name so staff dubbed her "FedEx." Shorter than the alternative: "United States Postal Service".
Pacheco explained, there is a legal and humane method of transporting animals.
"You put them in a live animal carrier; you have to pay for a health certificate and you have to have them vaccinated," she said. "Please don't ship live animals through the post office."
Jamie Leary joined the CBS4 team in 2015 and currently works as a reporter for CBS4 News at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. She couldn't imagine a better place to live and work and will stop at nothing to find the next great story. Jamie loves learning about and hearing from her fellow community members, so connect with her on Facebook or Twitter @JamieALeary.
