Dog Bite Awareness Week is May 18-24

Responsible Pet Ownership Takes Bite Out of Dogs

Pembroke Pines FL— Today's news reports are filled with stories of children, adults — and even other animals — who have been injured, or even killed, in vicious animal attacks.

Every year, the U.S. Postal Service calls attention to, and continues its crusade against, what continues to be one of the nation's most commonly reported public health problems: dog attacks and dog bites.  National Dog Bite Awareness Week is May 18-24 and is an opportunity to emphasize to the public that responsible pet ownership can prevent these disturbing attacks.

Contrary to what cartoonists and comedians might think about dogs and the letter carrier, children in the United States are the most frequent victims of dog bites and attacks. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Humane Society of the United States, small children, the elderly, and U.S. Postal Service letter carriers — in that order — are the most frequent victims of dog bites and attacks.  In South Florida, 38 letter carriers have been bitten by dogs in the past seven months.

While some attribute attacks on letter carriers to dogs' inbred aversion to uniforms, experts say the psychology actually runs much deeper. Every day that a letter carrier comes into a dog's territory, the dog barks and the letter carrier leaves. Day after day the dog sees this action repeated. After a week or two, the dog appears to feel invincible against intruders. Once the dog gets loose, there's a good chance it will attack.

Many of us are dog owners. Would your dog bite? The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that every year more than 4.7 million dog bites are reported to local authorities. Countless dog bite incidents go unreported. 

You may feel confident that your dog won't add to these statistics, and it is probably true that your trusted companion will never seriously harm anyone. However, if your dog does attack or bite someone, you could be liable for the victim's pain, suffering, and medical expenses. While the U.S. Postal Service is committed to providing consistent, reliable service to its customers, as an employer, the U.S. Postal Service is dedicated to the well-being and safety of its employees.  A loose dog roaming the neighborhood could lead to the temporary curtailment of mail delivery.

How to be a Responsible Pet Owner:

• Teach your dog appropriate behavior. Don't play aggressive games, such as wrestling or tug of war. It's essential that your dog recognizes family members as dominant figures whose authority should not be challenged.
• For everyone's safety, don't allow your dog to roam. Make your pet a member of your family. 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.
• Stay on the safe side. Help your dog become accustomed to a variety of situations. If you don't know how your dog will react to a new situation, be cautious. If you think your dog could panic in a crowd, leave him or her at home. If your dog may overreact to visitors or delivery people, keep your pet in another room.
• When a letter carrier comes to your home, keep your dog inside, away from the door, in another room, or on a leash.
• Don't let your children take mail from the letter carrier in the presence of your dog. Your dog's instinct is to protect your family.
• Spay or neuter your dog. Statistics from the Humane Society of the United States reflect that dogs that have not been spayed or neutered are up to three times more likely to be involved in a biting incident than neutered or spayed dogs.