Postal Service asks public to restrain their dogs for safety of letter carriers, children, neighborhood & community

3,100+ letter carriers bit last year; 61 in Colorado and Wyoming

DENVER, CO – It’s getting warmer. Summer is approaching. And it’s the busiest time of the year for dog bite attacks to letter carriers and others.

More than 3,100 postal letter carriers nationwide were bitten or received dog bite attack related injuries in 2007 – an avg. of 11 dog bites per day. There were 107 postal dog attack incidents in Colorado and Wyoming last year, of which 61 of them caused major injuries and lost work time. So far this year, 51 Colorado and Wyoming letter carriers have been involved in dog bite attack incidents, 26 have resulted in medical care and lost work time. Most of these injuries were caused by loose or unrestrained dogs.

The Postal Service treats loose dog situations very seriously. Because of the safety danger to your letter carrier, failure to restrain your dog on a regular basis can result in a temporary stoppage of mail delivery to your home and mailbox, or worse yet, to your whole neighborhood, block or street, depending on how serious the problem is.

“The average injury to a Colorado/Wyoming letter carrier last year cost the Postal Service $4,000 per case in medical care and follow-up treatment, lost work time, operational and other expenses,” says USPS CO/WY Safety Manager Andre Meredith. “We had severe injuries including fractures, lacerations, sprains and strains. We want to prevent and stamp out all dog bites. Our belief is one dog bite is one dog bite too many.” (See other statistics on CO/WY dog bites below and on the next page.)

So the U.S. Postal Service and your local Post Office are once again asking for the public’s support in keeping your dogs restrained; for the safety of your letter carrier and community, and to help stamp out dog bites. This reminder comes as the Postal Service and other organizations promote “National Dog Bite Prevention Week” May 18-24, 2008.

Preventing dog bites is a major public safety and health issue for everyone, not just the Postal Service. An estimated 4.7 million people in the United States are bitten by dogs each year. Children at 2 million injuries per year rank first for dog bite injuries, followed by the elderly and then letter carriers. Newspaper carriers and meter readers, delivery workers, utility and construction workers are other frequent victims.

So be a responsible dog and pet owner, and restrain your dog, particularly around mail delivery. The Post Office and your letter carrier greatly appreciate your support.

Colorado/Wyoming Postal Dog Bite Statistics

• 61 Colorado/Wyoming letter carrier dog bite injuries in 2007 and 107 dog bite incident attacks.
• Postal costs for 61 dog bite injuries in CO/WY were $244,000. Average dog bite injury in both states cost USPS $4,000. Average lost work time per injury was 16 hours.
• These Post Offices - Denver with 13; Colorado Springs with 8; Pueblo with 7; Westminster with 4; and Casper, WY with 3 - had the most dog bite injuries in 2007. Typical examples of dog bite injuries – lacerations, fractures, sprains, strains, pulled muscles.

Dog Bite Prevention Facts & Information
* provided by Humane Society of U.S. (HSUS) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)

The Victims

• 4.7 million people are bitten each year. Small children, the elderly, and letter carriers, in that order, are the most frequent victims of dog bites. Two million children are bitten each year.
• AVMA reports the number of dog attacks exceeds the reported instances of measles, whooping cough, and mumps, combined. Dog bite victims account for up to 5% of emergency room visits.
• According to the AVMA, more than 800,000 people are admitted to emergency rooms for dog bite related injuries. Countless more bites go unreported and untreated.
• A total of 3,149 letter carriers nationwide received dog attack related injuries in 2007. Many letter carrier dog bites nationwide came from dogs whose owners said “would not bite.”
• Besides letter carriers, newspaper carriers, meter readers, utility workers and delivery workers are some of the most frequent job occupations that receive dog bite injuries.

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, then back away slowly until the dog is out of sight.
• Don’t approach a strange dog, especially one that’s tethered or confined.
• While letter carriers are discouraged 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 backpack or bicycle.

How to Be a Responsible Dog Owner

• Obedience training can teach dogs proper behavior & help owners control their dog in any situation.
• When the letter carrier arrives, keep your dog inside, away from door, restrained or leashed.
• Don’t let your child take mail from the letter carrier in the presence of your dog. Your dog’s instinct is to protect the family.
• Spay/neuter your dog. Neutered dogs are less likely to bite. HSUS statistics note that dogs NOT spayed or neutered are up 3 times more likely to be involved in a dog biting incident or attack.
• Dogs that haven’t been properly socialized, receive little attention or handling, or are left tied up for long periods of time, frequently turn into biters.