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For National Dog Bite Awareness Week the U.S. Postal Service is reminding the public that all bites pose a threat to postal workers and the public they serve.
The most notable insight USPS shared was that dog owners can be held accountable for their dog's actions--covering medical expenses, lost work hours and even uniform replacement.
Postal Carriers are reminded to keep dog repellent readily available and be aware of your surroundings.
Here's what dog owners can do:
Door Delivery: 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 the mail to a family member as a threatening gesture.
Electronic Fencing: Carriers may assume, when they see no physical fence around a property, the property is animal-free. This can be a dangerous mistake. Postal Service officials request that you keep your dog restrained or inside when the mail is delivered. Although the electronic fence may keep your dog from wandering, it does not protect your Postal Service carrier, who must enter your property to deliver the mail. Even homes with curbside mailboxes may have oversize packages or signature-needed items that require the carrier to approach a doorstep and cross the boundaries of the electronic fence. This poses a serious risk to carrier safety.
Dog in Yard: Make sure your dog is properly restrained on a leash away from where your mail carrier is delivering the mail. Mail delivery service can be interrupted at an address or neighborhood the carrier deems unsafe because of an unrestrained dog. When service is interrupted at an address or neighborhood, all parties involved will have to pick mail up at their local Post Office. Service will be restored once assurance has been given that the animal will be confined during regular delivery hours.
Tracking: Dog owners who have access to postal features, such as Informed Delivery notifications (informeddelivery.usps.com) for letter mail and package tracking, are urged to use this as a way to gauge when the carrier is on their way and to ensure dogs are properly restrained. Expecting a postal package delivery on Sunday? Postal Service officials urge dog owners to restrain their animals on Sundays as well, as more residences are receiving deliveries throughout the weekend.
Pennsylvania ranks fifth in the country for dog bites, reporting 320 dog bites in 2019, and 291 bites in 2020, according to USPS.
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