Letter carriers, veterinarian to deliver dog safety discussion Wednesday

WHAT:
Last year, more than 3,100 postal letter carriers were bitten by dogs.  Across Upstate New York, more than 110 carriers were bitten and many more experienced encounters that required protective action, such as spray or suspension of delivery.

Estimates from the Centers for Disease Control indicate that 4.7 million Americans were bitten by dogs last year with up to 800,000 requiring medical attention. Children are at highest risk, with dog bite victims representing five percent of all emergency room visits. Letter carriers and veterinarians champion responsible dog ownership to reduce the pain and suffering from dog bites. This Wednesday, several Syracuse-area letter carriers join one local vet to share their stories.

WHO:
Dr. Andrea Lee, DVM, Fairmount Animal Hospital
Steve Suslik, Letter Carrier, Onondaga Branch of the Syracuse Post Office
Jim Cominski, Letter Carrier, Solvay Branch of the Syracuse Post Office
Duane Lewis,  Facility Safety Coordinator, Teall Station of the Syracuse Post Office
Syracuse’s Postal Officer in Charge, Gail Weeks, will also attend

WHEN:    
Wednesday, May 28th
Noon

WHERE:   
Fairmount Animal Hospital    
3705 W. Genesee Street    
13219

Additional Background: 
** Format of the event:  Press conference, to include remarks by the carriers and Dr. Lee; Qs and As
** Subjects to include:  Local facts and figures, personal tips and how carriers protect themselves; first hand stories; comments from Dr. Lee on responsible ownership practices.

Humane Society statistics 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.

The Centers for Disease Control notes that children suffer more than 2 million incidents each year, with the highest rate of bite-related injuries recorded for children ages 5 to 9 years.

Dog repellent — a mix of cayenne pepper and mineral oil — is authorized for use on any dog that attacks, but it does not replace the policy of non-delivery of mail where there is a dog menace. 

The Postal Service's Albany District reaches more than 3.5 million postal customers served by 720 Post Offices in an area that stretches from the Massachusetts and Canadian borders west to Waterloo and south to Binghamton and the Southern Tier. This includes Central New York and Syracuse.