What:

Santa Cruz Post Office and Scotts Valley PO safety teams will share dog bite prevention tips and provide a demonstration of dog bite prevention tactics.

A USPS letter carrier will be made available on his route in a portion of town that has a history of dog attacks.  The carrier, who has been attacked himself, will be available to talk about his experience with dogs while on his route and give consumer information on how to keep your dog from attacking delivery drivers, service personnel and children.

Who:

Santa Cruz Main Post Office letter carrier & safety captain Bill Stoesen

Scotts Valley Post Office letter carrier & safety captain Alfredo Sevilla

When & Where:

Santa Cruz Main Post Office
850 Front St.
Santa Cruz, CA  95060
Wednesday, June 8 at 8:00 a.m.

Scotts Valley Post Office
241 Kings Village Rd.
Scotts Valley, CA  95066

Thursday, June 9 at 8:00 a.m.

Background:

Running June 5-11, National Dog Bite Awareness Week is a USPS-sponsored public service campaign that offers safety tips and emphasizes the need for increased owner responsibility in the prevention of dog attacks. Its theme this year is “USPS Delivers for America. Deliver for Us by Restraining Your Dog.”

During National Dog Bite Awareness Week, dog owners are provided tips for protecting mail carriers while making their rounds:

• 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.
• Sign up for Informed Delivery. You’ll know when parcels are being delivered in advance of the actual delivery and can take precautions to keep your carrier safe.

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

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