Dog Bites In America

Dogs are wonderful animals. They make great companions, guardians and friends, but it’s important to remember that not all dogs are friendly. If the dog doesn’t know you, it could get scared, and therefore be more aggressive. When a dog is more aggressive, they are more likely to bite. None of us want that. However, dog bites occur more frequently than most people think.

Dogs really do chase mail personnel

This may seem a little clique, but mail personnel actually do get attacked by dogs while making deliveries. Because of this, the United States Postal Service created a chart of the top 30 cities where postal employees were attacked by dogs per city in 2013. According to this chart, about 5,581 postal employees were attacked. The top three cities were: Houston, Texas with 63 attacks, Los Angeles, California with 61 attacks and Cleveland, Ohio with 58 attacks. Where does Louisville, Kentucky rank on this chart? We are tied for 26^th place with Austin, Texas. We had 15 attacks on the postal service. To see how other cities ranked, check out the USPS’ website.

Why do dogs attack mail carriers?

Why does this happen? One of the main reasons postal employees are attacked by dogs is because the postal employee is entering the dog’s territory. The dog views the postal employee as a threat. This then leads to an attack. The USPS has some suggestions on how to help protect workers, as well as other people, from dog attacks. They include:

• If a letter carrier delivers mail or packages to your front door, put 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 strangers.
• Dog owners should remind their children about keeping the family dog secured. Parents should remind their children not to take mail directly from letter carriers in the presence of the family pet because 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.

Train your dog early

It’s important to remember that, while your dog knows you and your family very well, it might not know your friends. If your dog attacks or bites someone you know or a stranger, it can lead to serious injuries. Please start training your dog on how to properly behave at an early age. This will help protect people in your community and decrease the chance of a dog bite. For any further questions about Kentucky dog bites, call The Schafer Law Office at (502) 584-9511.