United States Postal Service also known as the USPS, observes the National Dog Bite Awareness week where it gives regulations on how owners of dogs can keep the mail carriers safe from dog bites. The reports put out in 2020 indicated that the number of dog bites has decreased compared to previous years and this is accredited to the information that is put out there concerning these incidents. Here we are going to see about the USPS dog bite policy.
USPS takes great pride in ensuring the safety of its mail carriers and this includes the prevention of dog bites. During this Dog Bite Awareness Week, the organization takes the opportunity to offer training for the employees on how to deal with dog attacks.
Safety Tips
The USPS offers the public some simple safety tips to make sure there are no dog bite incidences when mail carriers make their deliveries. Some of them include:
Dog In The Yard
The postal service advises dog-owners to ensure that their dogs are restrained properly on a leash when they are in the yard where they can easily attack a stranger. The dog should also be kept quite a distance away from where the mail carrier will deliver mail.
If this guideline is not followed, and the service is interrupted by the dog, the owner is required to pick up their mail from the local postal office and the delivery service will only be resumed once assurances are made that the dog has been kept away.
Door Delivery
For door delivery service, the USPS requires that the family pet be kept in a separate room when the owner is receiving the mail. The mail carriers are advised to never hand over mail to the owner in the presence of the pet because the pet may think that it is an act of aggression and therefore attack.
Simplified Service
The postal service has a simplified and convenient feature on their online platforms that allow the owners of pets to determine when they expect mail delivery. The USPS in this case advises them to note the specific day that they expect the mailman to come to their residence and make sure their family pet is kept safely away from the mail carrier.
Electric Fence
Most homes in the US that have a pet typically have an electric fence around them. However, not all do. For this reason, it is easy to assume that if a home does not have an electric fence then there is no pet. This assumption can lead to a dangerous and unexpected attack. The pet owner, therefore, has to make sure their pet/s is safely kept.
The most common incidences happen where the mail carrier has to enter your property to deliver large packages that require signing off. The USPS makes these outreaches to people through news releases, social media campaigns, and radio public service publications.
Mail Carrier Tactics
The USPS also takes precautions by training their employees on how to handle a situation where a dog has attacked them. Some of the simple tactics they use to protect themselves are-
- Remain calm and never startle a dog.
- Use your satchel or bag to protect yourself
- Keep your eyes on the dog
- Never think that the dog will not bite you
- Spray the dog with repellent until it goes away
- Do not attempt to pet the dog
- Report the incident to your supervisor.
They are also reminded to fill out dog warning cards for locations and addresses that have dogs and to always carry dog repellent provided by the postal service.
Bite Rankings
The following is the list of the most common dog bites in cities around the US ranked according to the USPS.
| Ranking | City | No. of bites |
| 1 | Los Angeles | 80 |
| 2 | Houston | 62 |
| 3 | Cleveland | 60 |
| 4 | San Diego | 57 |
| 5 | Louisville, KY | 51 |
| 6 | Detroit | 48 |
| 7 | Denver | 47 |
| 8 | Chicago | 46 |
| 9 | Indianapolis | 44 |
| 10 | Minneapolis | 43 |
Conclusion
Dog bite incidences usually peak in summer and that is why the USPS holds this awareness week in June. To achieve maximum safety for its employees, the USPS has come up with different ways of delivering mail and packages such as the Package Pickup service and using the Mobile Delivery Device features that warn the carriers to dogs on their routes and delivery locations. In addition, they have also given guidelines and tips to the general public on how to ensure the safety of their carriers and keep them from being bitten by dogs.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How Many Mail Carriers Were Attacked By Dogs Last Year?
Last year alone there were almost 6,000 attacks on postal workers by dogs.
- Can Usps Suspend A Package Due To A Dog?
They do if the dog is not kept safely away from the mail carrier.
