Postmaster Stand-up Talk — Safety Talk for Letter Carriers and Rural Carriers
It won’t be long until school lets out for the summer and children begin to spend their days outside playing.
We all know that means taking extra care to watch out for children playing around our vehicles, but it also is the time of year to be on the lookout for loose dogs. Many of these pets have been in the house or confined to the backyard all winter and manage to get out when children leave a door or gate open.
Last year, approximately 4.7 million people suffered dog bites in the United States, including 3,184 letter carriers — an average of 11 per delivery day.
[Share some examples of injured letter carriers that are found in this guide or examples from your own Post Office.]
Loose dogs are a serious problem for everyone. As letter carriers, you are not only doing yourself a favor, you are helping everyone in the community by getting these animals off the street. Letter carriers are the third most frequent victims of dog attacks; children and the elderly rank first and second, respectively.
One tool we have in controlling the dog problem is a policy of withholding delivery where dogs are a threat. Report all incidents to the postmaster or the carrier supervisor, who will decide what action needs to be taken. If a phone call to the customer doesn’t take care of the situation, we have a series of progressive warning letters that could ultimately lead to the suspension of mail service to the customer’s home.
Always make sure that you have at least one full can of dog repellent spray with you at all times. If a dog attacks, use your spray as a means of defense along with your satchel. Consider carrying a second can of spray as a backup.
Dogs are protectors of their masters and their property. To them, you are an intruder. You must prepare yourself for a new challenge each day from every dog you meet.
Here are several things you can do to avoid dog bites:
- Observe the area. Take a quick glance at all the places a dog may be — under parked cars, under hedges, on the porch, etc.
- Size up the situation. Determine if the dog is asleep, barking, growling, nonchalant, large, small, etc.
- Avoid signs of fear. A dog is more apt to bite you if it knows you are afraid.
- Don’t startle a dog. If it is asleep, make some kind of nonstartling noise, such as soft whistling. Do this before you are close to the dog, while you still have time and space for an “out.”
- Never assume a dog won’t bite. You may encounter a certain dog for days or weeks without incident; then one day, it might decide to bite you.
- Keep your eyes on the dog. A dog is more likely to bite when you’re not looking. Always be alert for a sneak dog attack.
- Talk friendly, call the dog’s name if you know it, but never attempt to pet or feed it.
- Stand your ground. If a dog comes toward you, turn and face it. Hold your satchel in front of you and back slowly away, while making sure you don’t stumble and fall. NEVER TURN AND RUN!
- If a dog attacks, use your repellent and satchel to protect yourself.
- The threat of animal attacks is real. We all watch the news and know the potential for serious injury. Be concerned for your safety, for your family, and for the children and elderly in our community. Be vigilant!
The availability and use of the repellent does NOT replace the policy of nondelivery of mail when there is a dog menace!
Collection and delivery Postal Service personnel are to report the name and address of the customer where the menace occurs to the postmaster or authorized supervisor, who must immediately telephone the customer and request that the animal be confined during the usual delivery hours in the neighborhood. The postmaster, or authorized supervisor, must further inform the customer (1) that no deliveries will be made until this is done, and (2) that service will be restored upon assurance that the animal will be confined.
It is the dog owner’s responsibility to control the dog. Most communities have ordinances for the control of dogs. Despite the fact that postmasters have frequently asked customers to control their dogs, and have discontinued service to control this problem, injuries still continue.
