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Keep Your Mail Carrier Safe
Jul 2006

By Beth Cella

Dog bites, regardless of the extent of injury, are traumatic experiences and constant hazards to the well-being of mail carriers and other delivery workers. In 2003, there were 4.7 million dog bite victims in the United States. According to the United States Postal Service (USPS), of the 229,404 letter carriers they employ, 3,400 were attacked while delivering mail in the last year alone.

The USPS conducts extensive training in dog bite prevention and provides carriers with dog repellent spray and behavioral training. To raise awareness that the cure for this national epidemic is responsible pet ownership, the USPS has joined the American Veterinary Medical Association to promote May 16 through May 22 as National Dog Bite Prevention Week. However, the numbers of dog bites continues to climb annually.
The USPS dog behavioral specialists point out the following:

People tend to humanize dogs. As pets, they often are referred to as the owner’s “kids” or as part of the family. Although owners may have great affection for their dogs, these pets are animals, with animal instincts and behaviors.

A phrase heard often is, “My dog won’t bite.” If a dog has teeth, it has the potential to bite and it will bite if it feels threatened. Dogs bite for many reasons including being startled; protecting food, a child or what it views as its property; or sensing fear. Assuming a dog won’t bite based on the breed or because its tail is wagging is a mistake.

People unintentionally reinforce problem behavior. For instance, if a carrier approached by a barking dog throws the dog a treat, he has rewarded that dog for its behavior. In most training, treats are used as rewards; therefore, the carrier has unintentionally rewarded the dog for charging and barking.

Even with the training that carriers receive to deal with dogs, dog owners need to help keep mail carriers safe. According to the USPS, studies have shown that the dog bite problem is not with dogs identified as “vicious” or as “watchdogs” or even dogs running loose. Most dog bites occur on the property of the owner, on the front porch, in the yard or when the door is opened to accept the mail from the mail carrier.

In most cases, the dog had never bitten anyone before and the owner did not think it was a hazard to anyone. Statistics for dog bites to letter carriers in Maine show that bites have most frequently been by dogs considered to be of the “friendliest” breeds.

It is the responsibility of the dog owner to control his or her dog and to comply with community ordinances about dog ownership—and the pet is counting on its owner to look out for its well-being. Don’t put your pet in jeopardy by allowing it to be placed in a situation that could cause it to be taken from you or to be destroyed.

The USPS requests the assistance of all pet owners in keeping all pets and mail carriers safe.

Beth Cella is a safety specialist for the United States Postal Service in Maine and the owner of two Doberman pinschers.