C.O.D. shipments.

§ 2.79 C.O.D. shipments. (a) No carrier or intermediate handler shall accept any animal for transportation, in commerce, upon any C.O.D. or other basis where any money is to be paid and collected upon delivery of the animal to the consignee, unless the consignor guarantees in writing the payment of all transportation, including any return transportation, if the shipment is unclaimed or the consignee cannot be notified in accordance with paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, including reimbursing the carrier or intermediate handler for all out-of-pocket expenses incurred for the care, feeding, and storage or housing of the animal. (b) Any carrier or intermediate handler receiving an animal at a destination on a C.O.D. or other basis any money is to be paid and collected upon delivery of the animal to the consignee shall attempt to notify the consignee at least once every 6 hours for a period of 24 hours after arrival of the animal at the animal holding area of the terminal cargo facility. The carrier or intermediate handler shall record the time, date, and method of each attempted notification and the final notification to the consignee, and the name of the person notifying the consignee, on the shipping document and on the copy of the shipping document accompanying the C.O.D. shipment. If the consignee cannot be notified of the C.O.D. shipment within 24 hours after its arrival, the carrier or intermediate handler shall return the animal to the consignor, or to whomever the consignor has designated, on the next practical available transportation, in accordance with the written agreement required in paragraph (a) of this section and shall notify the consignor. Any carrier or intermediate handler which has notified a consignee of the arrival of a C.O.D. or other shipment of an animal, where any money is to be paid and collected upon delivery of the animal to the consignee, which is not claimed by the consignee within 48 hours from the time of notification, shall return the animal to the consignor, or to whomever the consignor has designated, on the next practical available transportation, in accordance with the written agreement required in paragraph (a) of this section and shall notify the consignor. (c) It is the responsibility of any carrier or intermediate handler to hold, feed, and care for any animal accepted for transportation, in commerce, under a C.O.D. or other arrangement where any money is to be paid and collected upon delivery of the animal until the consignee accepts shipment at destination or until returned to the consignor or his or her designee should the consignee fail to accept delivery of the animal or if the consignee could not be notified as prescribed in paragraph (b) of this section. (d) Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting any carrier or intermediate handler from requiring any guarantee in addition to that required in paragraph (a) of this section for the payment of the cost of any transportation or out-of-pocket or other incidental expenses incurred in the transportation of any animal.