BUFFALO, NY — Spring is here, which means more people and dogs will be on the street — increasing the chances of dog attacks on postal carriers.

To ensure the safety of our delivery personnel, the Postal Service is asking Buffalo dog owners to keep their animals secured when deliveries are being made. For local Postal Service officials and mail carriers, one bite is one too many and new tools continue to be unleashed that can help reduce dog attacks in the area.  

The Postal Service offers the following safety tips for dog owners:

• When 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. Dogs have been known to burst through screen doors or plate glass windows to attack visitors.
• Parents should remind children and other family members not to take mail directly from carriers in the presence of the family pet. The dog may view the carrier handing mail to a family member as a threatening gesture.
• 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 or other facility until the carrier is assured the pet has been restrained. If the 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.

The Postal Service has a short video on dog bite prevention available on its YouTube site, USPS TV.

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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