Dog Bite Prevention Tips from the Postal Service

Islandia, NY — For every letter carrier bitten, there are, by comparison, hundreds of children who needlessly suffer the pain and trauma of dog bites. Whatever the reasons, dog bites are a serious problem for the entire community not just our letter carriers. Last year, 3,149 letter carriers suffered dog bites. That's an average of 11 dog attacks every delivery day, and that figure does not include the number of threats that did not result in injury. These numbers pale in comparison with the more than 4.7 million people ― mostly children and the elderly ― who suffer injuries from dog attacks each year.

Recent statistics show the annual number of dog attacks exceeds the reported instances of measles, whooping cough, and mumps, combined. In addition, dog bites requiring medical attention in the United States number 500,000 to 800,000 annually. Countless more bites go unreported and untreated. Dog bite victims account for up to five percent of emergency room visits.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly two percent of Americans are bitten by a dog each year, and most of the victims are children.

On Long Island last year, dogs attacked and bit 42 letter carriers, and there were a significant number of instances where dogs interfered with mail delivery. Fortunately, most dog bites can be prevented through responsible pet ownership.

If a letter carrier needs to interact with you, put your dog into a separate room before opening your front door. Dogs have been known to burst through screen doors or plate-glass windows to get at letter carriers and strangers.

Letter carriers are vigilant and dedicated, but we may be forced to stop mail delivery at an address if a letter carrier is threatened by a vicious dog. In some instances, Postal Service employees have sued and collected damages for dog bite injuries. We can't control people's dogs; only dog owners can do that.

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.

Dog owners should remind their children about the need to keep the family dog secured. We also recommend parents ask their children not to take mail directly from letter carriers. A dog may interpret the carrier’s handing mail to a child as a threatening gesture.

Clearly, parents must never leave a defenseless infant with a dog and must ensure that older children know the potential danger of dogs. It is also important to note that studies have shown that dogs are three times more likely to be involved in a biting incident if they have not been spayed or neutered. These simple reminders and helpful tips can reduce the hazard of dog-bite attacks. Help us to help you this spring and summer.

Detailed dog bite prevention information is available online as part a Postmaster’s media kit at:  http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/bulletin/2008/html/pb22230/kit_001.html. Additional information is available through the American Academy of Pediatrics at www.aap.org, the American Veterinary Medical Association at www.avma.org, the Humane Society of the United States at www.hsus.org, and the Prevent the Bite program at www.preventthebite.org.