INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Watch those storm doors. That’s the advice of two experienced Indianapolis letter carriers.

Teresa Oltman, who has been almost 23 years on the job, was attacked by a dog who slammed through the storm door, breaking the lock and hardware. “I turned around because I didn’t want to have my back to the dog. He latched on to my arm.” Using her satchel, Oltman struggled to get free. “He wanted to pull me to the ground, but as you know, carriers have strong legs and I wasn’t about to let him do that. Eventually two men from across the street poked the dog in the chest with a broom and he released me, but got away from them and dug his teeth again into my upper arm. I was seven weeks out on light duty, and ever since I am very careful with dogs,” she said.

Eric Davis had a similar experience. “This was a house that I was very familiar with. They had a huge dog, as big as a Great Dane. The customer came to the door when she saw me coming towards the porch. I asked her to stay inside with the dog. But she persisted and as soon as she opened the storm door, the dog rushed outside and lunged at me and I fell backwards,” Davis said.

“I fell right on my tailbone and it had me out of work for a very long time. Even now, I still have back pain. And the dog wasn’t content with knocking me over. He then nipped me on the inside of my arm,” he said.

The woman was very apologetic, but was perplexed that it should happen. She told Davis “my dog doesn’t bite.”

The good news is that as with the rest of the country, Indianapolis has seen a drop in dog incidents and is ranked 16th in 30 major cities with dog incidents. The number of postal employees attacked by dogs nationwide reached 6,244 in 2017 — more than 500 fewer than 2016. The Postal Service attributes the drop in dog attacks to the scanners that alert carriers there is a dangerous dog on their route.

As part of National Dog Bite Prevention Week, the Postal Service is inviting members of the media to Linwood Station on Wednesday morning to talk to Oltman, Lewis and several other carriers about their experience with dog attacks. Acting Indianapolis Postmaster Christi Johnson-Kennedy also will be on hand to discuss what the public can do to help decrease the number of dog attacks even more.

Place: Linwood Station, 4401 E. 10th Street, Suite 18, Indianapolis, IN 46201
Time: 9 a.m.
Date: April 11, 2018

National Dog Bite Prevention Week runs Sunday, April 8, through Saturday, April 14. The Postal Service, joined by the American Humane, American Veterinary Medical Association, Insurance Information Institute and State Farm Insurance, is driving home the message that dog bites are a national issue and education can resolve the issue.

Half of the 4.5 million Americans bitten by dogs annually are children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Please share the following dog bite prevention tips by using the hashtag #preventdogbites.

• If 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. Some dogs burst through screen doors or plate-glass windows to attack visitors. Dog owners should keep the family pet secured.
• Parents should remind their children and other family members not to take mail directly from carriers in the presence of the family pet, as the dog may view the person handing mail to a family member as a threatening gesture.
• The Postal Service places the safety of its employees as a top priority. 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 until the carrier is assured the pet has been restrained. If a 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.

American Humane, the country’s first national humane organization, estimates that more than 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year with 800,000 seeking medical attention for these bites — more than half of them being children.

“Two-thirds of the injuries occurring in children four years or younger are to the head or neck region, and studies have also shown that the greatest percentage of dog-bite fatalities occurred among children and unsupervised newborns left with dogs — something that should never occur,” said Mark Stubis, chief communications officer, American Humane.  “To help, American Humane offers a free online booklet, ‘Pet Meets Baby,’ with valuable information on introducing a new child to a home with a pet — or a new pet into a home with a child available for families with children.”

Insurance company State Farm reports that in 2017, it paid more than $132 million as a result of 3,618 dog-related injury claims. The average cost paid per claim was $36,573. “State Farm is also one of the few insurance companies that does not exclude homeowner or renter insurance coverage because of the breed of dog owned,” said Heather Paul, State Farm public affairs specialist. “The company reinforces that responsible pet ownership and educating children about how to safely interact with dogs is key to reducing dog bites.”

“Veterinarians see firsthand the needless heartbreak a dog bite can cause,” said Dr. Mike Topper, AVMA President. “We know that dog bites are not a breed-specific issue and that any dog can bite. We also know that most bites can be prevented through education. Your veterinarian and the AVMA have extensive resources designed to keep your pup, no matter what their breed, a happy, healthy member of your family and community.

2017 Dog Attack Rankings by City
A total of 6,244 postal employees were attacked by dogs in 2017. The top 30 city rankings are below. Some cities share the same rankings as they experienced the same number of attacks.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

###

Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at about.usps.com/news/welcome.htm.

For reporters interested in speaking with a regional Postal Service public relations professional, please go to about.usps.com/news/media-contacts/usps-local-media-contacts.pdf.

Follow us on twitter.com/USPS and like us at facebook.com/USPS. For more information about the Postal Service, go to usps.com and usps.com/postalfacts.