(Statewide) – U.S. Postal Service employees suffered more than 5,200 dog attacks last year, 159 of which occurred in Indiana.
To combat this, USPS is sharing safety guidance to help pet owners protect mail carriers and ensure uninterrupted mail delivery.
A monthlong Dog Bite Awareness campaign begins Monday, June 1, with the theme of “Don’t turn your back on dog bite prevention.”
“Every single day, our postal employees serve their communities across dynamic, fast-changing environments,” said Leeann Theriault, USPS employee safety and health awareness manager. “Preventing dog-related incidents requires constant, shared vigilance. This campaign reinforces a vital truth: Animal behaviors can change in an instant, but proactive awareness from both our carriers and the customers we serve can stop painful injuries before they ever happen.”
Even the most predictable pets can act unpredictably when defending territory or feeling startled.
Because dogs rely on protective instincts, owners must manage their dogs during delivery times to prevent accidents.
Keep your dog in a separate closed room before opening the front door. If you step outside, ensure the door is firmly latched. Always use a leash if your dog is outdoors during mail delivery.
Finally, never accept mail directly from a carrier in the presence of your dog, and teach children to avoid doing so, as dogs can misinterpret the interaction as a threat.
By using the free Informed Delivery feature, customers can digitally preview incoming mail and packages from a computer, tablet or mobile device.
Over 70 million customers have enrolled since the service was launched in 2017. Sign up at informeddelivery.usps.com.
The postal service says this help dog owners anticipate when their carrier might arrive.
Protecting your carrier protects your wallet. If your dog attacks a postal worker, you could owe thousands of dollars out of pocket to cover their medical care, lost shifts, replacement clothing and emotional distress.
When a carrier feels unsafe because of a roaming dog, mail service can be temporarily suspended.
Until the carrier feels safe enough to restart delivery, the mail will have to be picked up at the dog owner’s local Post Office.
If a carrier feels a house or neighborhood is unsafe to deliver to and there is no way to inform residents their mail service has been suspended, the residents will have to contact the supervisor at their local Post Office for more information. The residents would also have to pick up their mail at the Post Office until it is safe to resume delivery.
If a dangerous dog issue is not resolved, owners can be required to rent a Post Office Box to receive mail.
Postal carriers undergo extensive safety training to spot potential canine hazards. Carriers are instructed to remain vigilant and exercise the precautions below:
- Announce entry. Rattle a fence gate or make a non-threatening sound before walking into a yard.
- Maintain visual contact. Never startle an animal and always keep eyes locked on the dog.
- Assume dog poses risk. Avoid petting or feeding any animal on the assumption that any dog has the potential to bite.
- Block exits. Secure outward-swinging doors with a foot to prevent a pet from escaping.
If a dog attacks, carriers are trained to stand their ground, use their mail satchel as a protective shield and deploy dog repellent if necessary.
To stay ahead of these risks, USPS also provides carriers with awareness tools, including handheld scanners that feature built-in dog warning alerts and physical warning cards that are placed into mail sorting cases to alert a carrier of a dog at a certain address.
