Who:

Van Nuys Postmaster Joel Smith
Sit Means Sit animal behavior experts and trained dogs
Van Nuys letter carrier dog attacks victims

What:

With dog attacks on postal employees a serious on-the-job safety hazard, letter carriers are being given professional training on how to respond. Media is invited to witness and participate in this training.

Media Opportunity: Reporters can participate by donning protective attire and experiencing a dog attack first hand. (This is done as part of the training by professionals in a controlled environment.)

When:

8:00 a.m. PT
Friday, June 26, 2014

Where:

Van Nuys Post Office
15701 Sherman Way
Van Nuys CA 91409

Background:

For letter carriers, the greater Los Angeles area is the dog bite capital of the nation, with 309 attacked while on duty in Los Angeles and Orange Counties last year.  The City of Los Angeles held the unflattering distinction of second place in national city rankings with 61 dog attacks on postal employees (behind Houston, TX, with 63, and in front of Cleveland, OH, with 58; San Diego, CA, ranked 4th with 53 and Chicago, IL, 5th with 47.)

Also making the top 30 city list in the greater LA area was Long Beach, CA, ranked 19th with 22 attacks; Van Nuys, CA, 28th with 13; and Santa Ana, CA, 30th with 11.

Dog attacks are a national issue, not just a postal problem. Nearly 5,600 letter carriers were attacked last year, but the number pales in comparison to the 4.5 million Americans bitten by dogs annually ― half of whom are children ― according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Summer is here and kids are out of school. Dogs are outside more during the warm weather. Now is the time for everyone to learn about dog bite prevention.