Post Offices ask customers to restrain dogs and to help stamp out dog bites; 7 Montana carriers bitten last year

Billings, Great Falls, Missoula, Kalispell & others with injuries past year

BILLINGS, MT – It’s getting warmer. Summer is approaching. People and their pets are outside more. And it’s the busiest time of the year for dog bite injuries to letter carriers, meter readers, delivery workers and children.

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.

Montana letter carriers had 7 dog bite injuries last year. However that does not take into account a number of cases where letter carriers encountered threatening dog attack situations but escaped injury. And with the busiest time of the year for dog bites approaching – the summer months - there have already been five dog bite injuries to Montana carriers so far this year. Most dog bite injuries to letter carriers are caused by loose or unrestrained dogs.

The U. S. Postal Service (USPS) 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.

“Loose or unrestrained dogs present a dangerous safety threat to everyone in your neighborhood,” says USPS Big Sky Postal District Safety Manager Cathy Caulfield. “The average injury to a Montana letter carrier last year cost the Postal Service nearly $2,500 per case in medical care and thousands more in follow-up treatment, lost work time, operational and other expenses We want to prevent and stamp out all dog bites. Our belief is one dog bite is one dog bite too many.” (See statistics on Montana postal dog bites below.)

The U.S. Postal Service and local Post Offices are once again asking for the public’s support in keeping your dogs restrained; for the safety of letter carriers and your community, and to help stamp out dog bites. This reminder comes as the USPS 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.

Montana Postal Dog Bite Statistics

• 7 Montana letter carrier dog bite injuries in 2007 and 5 so far in 2008. Typical examples of dog bite injuries – lacerations, fractures, sprains, strains, pulled muscles
• Average dog bite injury in Montana last year cost USPS $2,500 in medical care and up to $34,000 in lost work time and other costs. Average lost work time per injury was 20 hours.
• Post Offices – Missoula with 2; Great Falls with 2; and Livingston, Laurel and Cut Bank with 1 each had dog bite injuries in 2007. Billings, Kalispell, Whitefish, Great Falls and Shelby have 1 each so far in 2008.

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.