Concord, NH – In honor of National Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week, the Postal Service would like to offer the following reminder for pet owners: According to the Centers for Disease Control, More than 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs each year. Fifty percent of bites occur on the dog owner’s property and one in six bites requires medical attention. Dog bites account for more than one third of all liability claims against homeowners insurance.

The Postal Service and its nearly 180,000 Letter Carriers across the country are not anti-dog. On the contrary, many of our employees are loving pet owners. Since Letter Carriers and other delivery personnel are more likely candidates for dog bites because they frequently enter what your dog considers his or her personal space. We do ask for your help as responsible pet owners to protect our carriers from dog bites.

Dogs discover early on that they have limited skills when it comes to boxing or martial arts. The one thing they do have to get an opponents’ attention is a strong bite.  All dogs, even yours and even the cute ones, will bite if they feel they are protecting their family, property or belongings. Dogs can also bite out of fear or just being startled from a nap.

While some breeds of dogs tend to be more aggressive, the truth is that all dogs possess the ability to bite and the instinct to use that defense if threatened.

To protect your Letter Carrier and other delivery personnel insure that your dog is inside, or restrained out of reach of your door, when you’re expecting a delivery.  Before opening your door to accept or sign for a package place your pet in another room, secured out of sight of what they may consider a threatening transaction. Make sure any children in the home also understand the need to separate the family pet and a visitor at the door.

Being a responsible pet owner not only protects those that may visit your home but also protects your family from the grief of having a dog removed because they bit someone or the expense that could result from having to cover a victims medical expenses.

With your help, we can keep our carriers safe as they continue to bring packages and other important correspondence to your door each day.

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