U.S. Postal Service brings awareness to dog bite prevention

Yahoo

3 days ago

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Last year, incidents involving dog attacks on Postal Service workers rose by more than 6,000 cases.
As part of the 2025 USPS National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign, the organization is offering information on how dog owners can be good stewards for safe mail delivery and ensure the safety of its employees.
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The month-long campaign begins on Sunday, June 1. This year's theme is 'Secure Your Dog, Keep Deliveries on Track.' For those who want to help spread news of the campaign, you can use the hashtag #dogbiteawareness.
'The best way to keep safe from dog attacks is to recognize and promote the responsibility of pet ownership, such as teaching your dog appropriate behavior and commands and not allowing your dog to roam freely,' USPS employee safety and health awareness manager Leeann Theriault said. 'All dogs – regardless of breed, size or age – have the potential to bite.'
'Dog bite attacks on postal employees are preventable,' Theriault continued. 'The most important message for our customers to remember during the 2025 USPS National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign is to keep your dog secured and away from the carrier as the mail is being delivered. Help ensure the safety of everyone in our communities.'
Dogs may attack not only to defend their territory, but also when they feel startled, anxious or unwell. It's not just about bad or aggressive dogs – it's about unpredictable moments.
Some advice given by USPS to help postal workers is to keep your dog in a separate room or area away from the door when the mail carrier comes to your house. If you go outside, close the door firmly behind you and make sure it is secured so your dog doesn't slip out or bust through it unexpectedly.
If you are outside with your dog while mail is being delivered, make sure your dog is secured away from the mail carrier and on a leash. Never accept mail from your mail carrier in the presence of your dog.
Pet owners also should remind children not to take mail directly from a letter carrier because the dog may view the carrier as a threat to the child.
Mail carriers are trained to observe an area where they know dogs may be present. They are taught to be alert for potentially dangerous conditions and to respect a dog's territory.
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Mail carriers are trained to:
Make a non-threatening noise or rattle a fence to alert a dog if entering a yard.
Never startle a dog.
Keep their eyes on any dog.
Never assume a dog will not bite.
Never attempt to pet or feed a dog
Place their foot against an outward swinging door to prevent a dog from escaping.
If a dog attacks, carriers are also trained to stand their ground and protect their body by placing something between them and the dog, such as a mail satchel, and to use dog repellent, if necessary.
Mail carriers have tools to alert them to dogs on their routes. A dog alert feature on carriers' handheld scanners can remind them of a possible dog hazard, and dog warning cards must be used during mail sorting to alert carriers to addresses where a dog may interfere with delivery.
When a carrier feels unsafe, mail service can be stopped.
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 dangerous dog issue is not resolved, owners can be required to rent a Post Office box to receive mail.
When a postal employee suffers an injury from a dog attack, it can cost the dog owner thousands of dollars because they could be responsible for medical bills, lost wages, uniform replacement costs, and pain and suffering for the employee.
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By using USPS Informed Delivery, a free service, customers can digitally preview incoming mail and packages from a computer, tablet or mobile device. Millions of customers have enrolled since the service was launched in 2017. Sign up at . This service can help dog owners anticipate when their carrier will arrive.
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