USPS asking customers for help preventing dog attacks against postal employees

“From nips and bites to vicious attacks, aggressive dog behavior poses a serious threat to postal employees and the public. That is why we are asking the public for their assistance to help prevent dog attacks,” the postal service said.

USPS says when a letter carrier comes to your home, keep dogs:

• Inside the house or behind a fence
• Away from the door or in another room
• On a leash

Pet owners also should remind their children not to take mail directly from a letter carrier as the dog may view the carrier as a threat, the postal service said.

The postal service says letter 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.

Letter carriers are trained to:

• Not startle a dog.
• Keep their eyes on the dog.
• Never assume a dog won’t bite.
• Make some noise or rattle a fence to alert the dog if entering a yard.
• Never attempt to pet or feed a dog.
• Place their foot against an outward swinging door.

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 their mail satchel — and use dog repellent, if necessary, according to USPS.

“Even though postal officials ask customers to control their dogs, unfortunately dog bites still happen, which may result in injuries to our carriers and costly medical expenses for dog owners,” the postal service said.

Carriers have tools to remind them about dogs on their routes, USPS said. There is a dog alert feature tool on their handheld scanners to remind them of a possible dog hazard and they use dog warning cards as reminders when they sort their mail for their routes that a dog that may interfere with delivery.

Lastly, when a carrier feels unsafe, mail service could be halted — not only for the dog owner, but for the entire neighborhood. When mail service is stopped, mail must be picked up at the Post Office. Service will not be restored until the dog is properly restrained, according to the postal service.

The postal service says “Informed Delivery” is a useful tool for dog-owning customers. It’s a free service that gives customers a digital preview of the mail and packages that are scheduled to be delivered so that they can take precautions and secure their dog when parcels are delivered to the door. To sign up, you can click here.