All samples should be shipped standard overnight on enough ice packs to keep samples cold/frozen. It is not ideal to ship after Wednesday. The UF Diagnostic Laboratories is not open on weekends or holidays. If something happens during a shipment on a Thursday, the sample would sit until the following business day, making the sample unusable.
Ship samples with request forms to
UF Zoo Med Diagnostic Lab
2015 SW 16TH Ave., Rm. V2-186
Gainesville, FL 32608-1166
Please be sure to use the FedEx Standard Shipping option.
Please e-mail April Childress for questions on shipping.
General labeling and packaging advice for all samples
- Label the sample and include the animal name/ID number, owner’s last name, and sample type/source
- For fluid-containing samples, use a leak-proof container and place it inside of a Ziploc bag with paper towels
- Include completed submission form(s) inside of a separate Ziploc bag (in case of fluid-containing sample leaks)
- Send samples in a cardboard box to prevent them from being crushed during transit
- If the sample requires an ice pack, use a Styrofoam cooler box inside of a cardboard box
- To prevent breakage, pad samples with newspaper, bubble wrap, or other similar material