Dog Bite Season Peaks – Letter Carriers on Alert

Dog Bites Remain a Concern Even as Incidents Decline

SAN DIEGO — Dog owners across America are being asked to show their letter carriers some love by making sure their pets are in separate rooms with closed doors before accepting mail from a carrier at their front doors.

That’s one of the key messages as the Postal Service launches National Dog Bite Prevention Week, which runs until May 24.

Last year, 3,149 city and rural carriers were attacked by dogs across the United States. “Dogs are protective and they may perceive letter carriers handing mail to their owners as a threat,” said USPS Vice President and Consumer Advocate Delores J. Killette. “For the same reason, we also ask parents to make sure their children don’t collect mail from our carriers in the presence of their pets. Employee safety is always our number-one concern.”

Houston postal employees suffered the most OSHA recordable dog bites last year with 103. Fortunately, this number is 63 fewer carriers victimized by dog attacks than the previous year, thanks to the Postal Service’s aggressive community outreach efforts with the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, Prevent the Bite and other organizations nationwide, including the National Association of Letter Carriers. But that’s still too many dog bites.

Houston is followed by Santa Ana with 86; Sacramento 82; Los Angeles 71; and Oakland with 69.

Letter carriers in the San Diego Postal District reported 48 OSHA recordable dog bites in 2007 compared to 65 in 2006. So far in fiscal year 2008, San Diego District carriers have reported 22 OSHA dog bites. The San Diego District includes San Diego and Imperial Counties and most of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, 3-digit ZIP Codes 919, 920, 921, 922, 923, 924 and 925.

“We had the good fortune of having fewer dog bites last year but that is no reason to celebrate with the peak dog bite season now upon us,” said district Safety Manager Nancy Smith. “There is much more to worry about now than ever before because the dogs tend to be bigger, they are more aggressive and they do more damage. They attack through windows, through doors and often jump fences.”

Although the number of OSHA recordable dog bites shows improvement, other dog bites requiring first aid with no lost work time numbered 92 last year. This fiscal year, with just 5 months to go, that number is 55 and set to meet or exceed last year.

“The Postal Service initiated a “Paws-itive Practices” safety awareness program last year that is credited for reducing dog bites. Also, San Diego County Animal Control assists the Postal Service with information about reported dog attacks so carriers can be more alert in those areas,” added Smith.

The USPS is offering these tips to avoid dog bites.

How to Avoid Being Bitten

• Don't run past a dog. The dog's natural instinct is to chase and catch prey.
• If a dog threatens you, don't scream. Avoid eye contact. Try to remain motionless until the dog leaves.
• Don't approach a strange dog, especially one that's tethered or confined.
• While letter carriers are prohibited from petting animals, people who choose to pet dogs should always let a dog see and sniff them before petting the animal.
• If you believe a dog is about to attack you, try to place something between you and the dog, such as a purse, a backpack or a bicycle.

How to Be a Responsible Dog Owner

• Obedience training can teach dogs proper behavior and help owners control their dogs.
• When a carrier comes to your home, keep your dog inside, away from the door in another room.
• Don't let your child take mail from the carrier in the presence of your dog. Your dog's instinct is to protect the family.
• Spay or neuter your dog. Neutered dogs are less likely to bite. Statistics from the Humane Society show that dogs that have not been spayed or neutered are up to three times more likely to bite.
• Dogs that receive little attention or handling, or are left tied up for long periods of time frequently turn into biters.

For decades, the Postal Service has taken a leadership role in preventing animal attacks because letter carriers are the third most likely group to be bitten by a dog. Children and the elderly rank number one and two, respectively.

Additional information is available through the American Veterinary Medical Association at www.avma.org, the American Academy of Pediatrics at www.aap.org, the Humane Society of the United States at www.hsus.org, and the Prevent the Bite program at  www.preventthebite.org.