DENVER — More than 5,800 U.S. Postal Service employees were attacked by dogs while delivering the mail last year.
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) said aggressive dog behavior is a common safety concern among its employees.
Denver had 21 dog bites, and Colorado had 94 dog bites last year, according to new USPS data. In 2023, Denver was the 18th worse city in the country for dog bites on mail carriers.
USPS said its mail carriers know all dogs can bite, even those perceived as nonaggressive, as dogs are protective of their turf.
“Letter carriers are exposed to potential hazards every day, none more prevalent than a canine encounter. All it takes is one interaction for a letter carrier to possibly suffer an injury,” said Leeann Theriault of USPS. “The U.S. Postal Service consistently encourages responsible pet ownership. The national dog bite campaign is an effort to promote dog bite awareness to keep our customers, their dogs, and letter carriers safe while delivering the mail.”
Most people know the approximate time their letter carrier arrives every day. USPS said that customers securing their dog before the carrier approaches can minimize potentially dangerous interactions.
USPS said pet owners also should remind children not to take mail directly from a letter carrier as the dog may view the carrier as a threat to the child.
“Even though a customer’s dog is friendly to most people, it can always have a bad day,” said letter carrier Tara Snyder. “I know, from experience, even when a dog is in the house, customers need to make sure their door is secure so their dog can’t push it open and bite the letter carrier.”
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.
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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