Valley letter carriers report 26 dog attacks last year
YOUNGSTOWN - Letter carriers have more than snow, rain, heat, or gloom of night to contend with on their daily rounds in the Valley.
According to the U.S. Postal Service, 26 letter carriers were attacked by dogs in communities around the Valley last year. Sixteen of those attacks were reported in the City of Youngstown, which ranks among the top five Ohio communities for dog attacks on postal workers.
To make customers more aware of the hazards posed by dogs, the postal service has started the Postal Service Safety Awareness, or PAWS program.
Letter carriers will place a dog paw sticker on mailboxes in areas where dogs are located. The sticker will act as a reminder to proceed with caution when the carrier approaches the area. Customers will also receive a card explaining the program.
The sticker is especially important if the carrier delivers a package to the door of a home. A yellow sticker indicates there is a dog at the next delivery address. An orange sticker means a dog resides at that address.
People who object to having a paw sticker placed on their mailbox can call their local Postmaster to request it be removed.
In addition to reducing the incidents of dog bites and attacks, The PAWS Program may help dog owners avoid liability in the event of an attack.
Postal Service Safety Awareness Program Manager Chris Johnson says technology is also being used to protect carriers.
Mobile Delivery Devices, handheld scanners used by carriers to confirm customer delivery, now include a feature to indicate the presence of a dog at an individual address.
Informed Delivery, which alerts customers to mail and packages coming to their homes, allows customers to plan for the carrier’s arrival by securing dogs safely.
The Postal Service offers the following safety tips for dog owners:
When a carrier delivers mail or packages to your front door, place your dog in a separate room and close that door before opening the front door. Dogs have been known to burst through screen doors or plate glass windows to attack visitors.
Parents should remind children and other family members not to take mail directly from carriers in the presence of the family pet. The dog may view the carrier handing mail to a family member as a threatening gesture.
If a carrier feels threatened by a dog, or if a dog is loose or unleashed, the owner may be asked to pick up mail at a Post Office location or other facility until the carrier is assured the pet has been restrained. If the dog is roaming the neighborhood, the pet owner’s neighbors also may be asked to pick up their mail at the area’s Post Office location.
