DENVER — More than 5,300 U.S. Postal Service employees were attacked by dogs while delivering the mail last year.
In 2022, Denver was tied for 17th with 19 dog attacks on postal workers nationwide.
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) said aggressive dog behavior is a common safety concern among its employees.
“When letter carriers deliver mail in our communities, dogs that are not secured or leashed can become a nemesis and unpredictable and attack,” USPS' Leeann Theriault said. “Help us deliver your mail safely by keeping your dog secure and out of the way before your carrier arrives.”
USPS said its mail carriers know all dogs can bite, even those perceived as nonaggressive as dogs are protective of their turf.
“When our mail carriers are bitten, it is usually a ‘good dog’ that had not previously behaved in a menacing way,” said USPS Occupational Safety and Health Senior Director Linda DeCarlo. “In 2022, too many aggressive dogs impacted the lives of our employees while delivering the mail. Please help us reduce that number by being a responsible pet owner who secures their dog as we deliver the mail.”
What pet owners can do:
- Keep dogs inside the house or behind a fence.
- Keep dogs away from the door or in another room.
- Keep dogs on a leash.
“Recently, I was delivering to a customer’s mailbox and was nearly bitten by their large aggressive dog,” said Swain Lowe, a letter carrier in Manassas, Virginia. “Despite the dog being behind a fence, it still managed to jump over and charge me. Thankfully, I was aware of it and remembered not to run but to turn and use my satchel as a shield to prevent what could have been a terrible bite.”
USPS said its carriers are trained to be alert for potentially dangerous conditions and to respect a dog’s territory.
Letter carriers are trained to:
- Not startle a dog.
- Keep their eyes on any dog.
- Never assume a dog will not bite.
- Make some noise or rattle a fence to alert a dog if entering a yard.
- Never attempt to pet or feed a dog.
- Place their foot against an outward swinging door to prevent a dog from escaping.
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