Dog bites and dog attacks are a legitimate concern for mail carriers and pose a serious threat. Last year more than 5,800 postal employees were attacked by dogs according to the United States Postal Service (USPS).
Pennsylvania Ranks Fifth
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ranked fifth with 291 dog attacks on USPS employees in 2020. The city of Philadelphia shared 14th place with 26 dog attacks on mail carriers and Pittsburgh shared 25th place with 13 dog attacks.
Steps Mail Carriers Take
Letter carriers are trained to protect themselves if they find themselves in a situation with an aggressive dog. They also carry warning cards to let them know when there is a problematic dog on their route.
If there is a persistent problem, mail service can be interrupted. If a mail carrier feels unsafe, the homeowner may be asked to go to the post office to get their mail. An aggressive dog’s behavior poses a problem for the whole neighborhood. If an aggressive dog is let loose, the entire neighborhood may also be asked to collect their mail from the post office.
Dog bites can cause injuries to mail carriers. Pet owners are responsible for covering expenses related to injuries. Most pet owners want to ensure this doesn’t happen and will take the necessary steps to prevent a dog attack.
Steps Dog Owners Should Take
Dog owners should take steps to prevent their dog from biting a postal worker by securing their dog or pet. USPS offers these tips to keep dogs and mail carriers safe:
- Teach your dog appropriate behavior and commands.
- Don’t allow your dog to roam freely.
- Socialize and help your dog become accustomed to a variety of situations and people.
Further tips include:
- Place your dog in a separate room and close that door before opening the front door to accept the mail. Dogs have been known to burst through screen doors or windows to attack.
- Children should not take the mail from the mail carrier in the presence of the family pet. A dog may view this as threatening and attack the mail carrier to protect the child or other family member.
- Postal workers may need to enter fenced yards to deliver packages. If a dog is in a fenced area to prevent it from leaving the property, a delivery person may be at risk when delivering a package to the front door.
- Keep your dog properly restrained on a leash when possible to establish a safe and secure distance from letter carriers.
- Sign up for Informed Delivery. It’s a free service where customers can digitally preview their expected mail and packages to know when a package may be delivered.
Take steps to protect letter carriers as they deliver the mail. These steps will also keep the general public safe. USPS reminds pet owners that any dog can bite.
If you’ve been attacked or bitten by a dog, it’s always a good idea to speak with a dog bite attorney about your dog bite case. Jeffrey H. Penneys provides free consultations to mail carriers and other delivery workers that have been injured by a dog bite or dog attack. Contact him at any time to discuss your dog bite claim.
Photo by Joel Moysuh on Unsplash