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Your Town: How Many Postal Workers Were Attacked By Dogs Last Year?

MAHWAH, N.J. -- Mahwah, Paramus and Wayne each had two postal carriers attacked by dogs last year, the U.S Postal Service announced Monday in its annual roundup. Several Bergen and Passaic county towns had one each.

Overall, there were more than 500 fewer dog attacks on postal workers nationwide last year than in 2016, the U.S. Postal Service said.

Overall, there were more than 500 fewer dog attacks on postal workers nationwide last year than in 2016, the U.S. Postal Service said.

 Photo Credit: David Goldman for postalmuseumblog.si.edu
Jerry DeMarco

Of the 6,244 total attacks nationwide -- more than 500 less than in 2016 -- one each occurred in Clifton, East Rutherford, Hackensack, Passaic, Paterson, Ridgewood and South Hackensack and Teaneck, the postal service reported.

The figures were released as part of National Dog Bite Prevention Week (Apr. 8 – 14).

The most attacks -- 71 -- were reported in Houston, followed by Los Angeles (67), St. Louis (52), Cleveland (49), San Diego (46) and both Baltimore and San Antonio (44 each).

The most in New Jersey were reported in Camden (8) and Trenton (7).

More than 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year, about half of them children, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Thousands are postal carriers.

So the postal service asked:

  • If a carrier delivers mail or packages to your front door, place your dog in a separate room and close that door before opening the front door. Some dogs burst through screen doors or plate-glass windows to attack visitors. Dog owners should keep the family pet secured.
  • Parents should remind their children and other family members not to take mail directly from carriers in the presence of the family pet, as the dog may view the person handing mail to a family member as a threatening gesture.
  • The Postal Service places the safety of its employees as a top priority. If a carrier feels threatened by a dog, or if a dog is loose or unleashed, the owner may be asked to pick up mail at a Post Office until the carrier is assured the pet has been restrained.
  • If a dog is roaming the neighborhood, the pet owner’s neighbors also may be asked to pick up their mail at the area’s Post Office.

MORE INFO: http://about.usps.com/news/national-releases/2018/pr18_025.htm

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