Schoolchildren and letter carriers across Upstate New York count down the last few days of school. For kids, it means vacations, but for carriers, it generally means an upward spike in dog bites.
The threat to letter carriers and youngsters is real. Nationwide, 5,581 postal employees were attacked last year by dogs. Of the 4.5 million Americans bitten by dogs annually, half are children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Area postal officials remind pet owners that kids and dogs at play on hot summer days, visited by letter carriers, pose a serious risk for dog bite injuries.
More than 4.5 million people are bitten annually. Children are the majority of victims and are 900 times more likely to be bitten than letter carriers. The American Veterinary Medical Association also reports that the number of dog attacks exceeds the reported instances of measles, whooping cough and mumps combined; dog bite victims account for up to 5 percent of emergency room visits.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, insurers around the nation paid $489 million in dog bite claims
If a letter carrier delivers mail or packages to your front door, place your dog into a separate room and close the door before opening the front door. Dogs have been known to burst through screen doors or plate-glass windows to get at the letter carrier.
Dog owners should remind their children about the need to keep the family dog secured.
Parents should remind their children not to take mail directly from letter carriers in the presence of the family pet as the dog may see handing mail to a child as a threatening gesture.
The Postal Service places the safety of its employees as a top priority. If a letter carrier feels threatened by a vicious dog or if a dog is running loose, the owner may be asked to pick up the mail at the Post Office until the carrier is assured the pet has been restrained. If the dog is roaming the neighborhood, the pet owner’s neighbors may be asked to pick up their mail at the Post Office, as well.
“There’s a myth we often hear at the Postal Service,” said Postal Service National Manager of Safety Linda DeCarlo. “Don’t worry; my dog won’t bite. Dog attacks are a nationwide issue and not just a postal problem. Any dog can bite, and all attacks are preventable through responsible pet ownership.”