It's a feud as old as time itself – Mailman versus Dog. Unfortunately, it's a stark reality as 47 Denver letter carriers were attacked by dogs last year.
There's a lot that U.S. Postal letter carriers go through when delivering the mail, whether it be snow, rain or even the blazing sun burning down on them. However, dog attacks are a whole other issue.
In the last year, there were 47 dog attacks on Denver letter carriers, according to a
national report released by the U.S. Postal Service. This places Denver among the nation's worst in dog attacks on mail carriers; a 24 percent increase in the last year and nearly double what it was five years ago.
Los Angeles leads the pack with 80 dog attacks last year.
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Top 10 Cities with USPS Dog Attacks (USPS website)[/caption]
"Even good dogs have bad days," said U.S. Postal Service Safety Director Linda DeCarlo (Los Angeles). "Dog bite prevention training and continuing education are important to keep pet owners, pets and those who visit homes – like letter carriers – happy and healthy."
There are safety measures to be taken that will alert carriers to dogs on their delivery routes. The
Package Pickup application on the U.S. Postal Service website asks customers to indicate if they have a dog at their home when using scheduled pickups. This allows for carriers to be updated on their delivery scanners as they are making their deliveries.
"The scanners that Postal Service letter carriers use to confirm a customer's delivery include a feature for carriers to indicate the presence of a dog at an individual's address. This information is particularly helpful for substitute carriers who will Finn in for regular carriers on their days off," said DeCarlo.
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photo courtesy of Animal Veterinary Medical Association[/caption]
National Dog Bite Prevention Week runs Sunday, April 9 to Saturday, April 15. The U.S. Postal Service is joined by the American Humane Society, American Veterinary Medical Association, Insurance Information Institute, and State Farm Insurance. This is to drive home the message that dog bites are an issue across the nation and how education can help prevent dog attacks in the future.
USPS Dog Bite Prevention Tips
- Be proactive and keep your dog in a separate room with a closed door before you retrieve your mail.
- Remind children and other family members not to take mail directly from letter carriers in the presence of the dog, since this could be seen as a threatening gesture to the dog.
- Safety is the top priority for the Postal Service. If a letter carrier feels threatened by a dog, the owner may be asked to pick up their mail at a Post Office until the letter carrier is assured the animal is restrained.
Additional Dog Bite Prevention Tips
- Properly socialize your dog to interact and be comfortable with other animals, people, places and activities. This should occur during the "sensitive period" – three and 14 weeks of age for puppies. Do not isolate your dog.
- For children to prevent dog bites, avoid unknown dogs.
- When the owner is with their dog, always ask permission to pet. Do not pet a dog without asking first, even if it's a dog you know.
- Perhaps one of the most important tips, do not wait for a serious accident to happen. The first time your dog displays aggressive behavior toward anybody, seek professional help from a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, a veterinary behaviorist, or a qualified Certified Professional Dog Trainer.
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