For centuries, animals have been transported across continents and oceans, in ships and more recently, animals have been flown in airplanes from the wild to zoos. In fact, zoological and research institutions ship thousands of animals every, year. These shipments include, for example, inter-facility transfers, intra-institution shipments and transport from wildcatch staging areas to quarantine facilities.
There are no specific design standards for crate construction. However, some general guidelines exist for volume, ventilation and access requirements. For example, the 1945-1995 IATA Live Animals Regulations sets forth crate designs for various animals.
Transport crates are typically designed for the size and type of animals to be transported. Many institutions have significant inventories of crates for the numerous types and sizes of animals they maintain. Additional design factors, such as the temperament of the animal, its strength and the amount of husbandry required in transit, add to the number of different crates that an institution may hold.
These transport crates are typically built by the institution or contracted to local fabrication shops. Such crates take up a significant volume of cargo space whether an animal is being transported or the crate is being returned because they are typically not easily disassembled and reassembled. High-strength crates of conventional material and construction are typically very heavy so that they limit the weight-carrying capacity of the vehicle. Animals have also been and are being shipped in crates specifically made for that particular transport. In such instances, the crates are discarded after the one-time use.
The crates are typically made of wood and wire mesh. Rough surfaces and openings in the walls, floors, and ceilings of such crates can create a hazard for abrasions, lacerations and fractures. It is also difficult to properly ventilate, clean and care for the animals in such crates. Moreover, wood is porous and absorbs liquids which provides a breeding ground for bacteria and makes wood difficult to sterilize. Accordingly, wood crates create a significant number of potential problems.
Many animals will ingest the wooden crate material during the transport process. Even animals which would not generally attempt to chew and eat wood, will sometimes do so in a heightened stress state during transport.
Wood's low strength-to-weight ratio limits its use with large and/or strong animals. If wood is utilized for such crates it often must be very heavily reinforced in order to withstand the impact loads generated by the animals. Furthermore, building a crate in a permanent, non-disassembling configuration further inhibits proper cleaning and sterilization.
Use of crates, particularly with larger species and hoofed mammals, routinely requires a crate-training or habituation as part of the process. Prior to shipping, the crate must be in the animal's enclosure for extended periods while the animal is being acclimated to it. During this period, the crate is further exposed to potential abuse from the animal, increased exposure to waste materials, water, cleaning solutions and other environmental factors further limit the crate life.
Accordingly, the life-span of wooden crates is inherently short. Often the crate must be discarded after a few uses because the animal and the handling of the crate itself, have literally destroyed it.
Most institutions will not ship animals during the middle of summer or the middle of winter, because the temperature limits the shipment of animals in non-environmentally controlled enclosures. This effectively reduces the available shipping time by 120-150 days per year.
Accordingly, the need exists for a light-weight modular, reusable shipping crate for animals. There is also a need for shipping crates which reduce the chance of injury to the animal. The control of communicable disease, especially between separate facilities is very important in today's modern zoological institution. Finally, there is a need to properly ventilate, clean and handle such crates while in transport.