Dead Birds In Pet Food From China Seized At Dulles Airport

STERLING, VA — U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently seized a package of dead birds — which pose a health risk to poultry farms and human health — from a traveler's baggage at Washington Dulles International Airport, according to a press release.

The tiny birds were contained in a package marked pet food that arrived with a passenger on a Jan. 27 flight from Beijing, China. The package, which was heading to an address in Prince George's County, Maryland, was discovered during an examination by Customs agriculture specialists. The pet food package featured pictures of a cat and dog and the passenger identified it as cat food. The small birds were of an unidentified variety and were about 2.5 to 3.5 inches in length.

Due to the potential threat of the highly pathogenic avian influenza, the import of birds from China is prohibited. Customs agents confiscated the birds on behalf of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and incinerated them.

“These dead birds are prohibited from importation to the United States as unprocessed birds pose a potentially significant disease threat to our nation’s poultry industries and more alarmingly to our citizens as potential vectors of avian influenza,” said Casey Durst, director of field operations for CBP’s Baltimore Field Office, in the release.

During a typical day in 2019, Customs agents seized 4,695 prohibited plant, meat, animal byproduct, and soil, across the U.S. They also intercepted 314 insect pests at U.S. ports of entry.

Go online to see other items Customs and Border Protection workers seized in a typical day in 2019.