VI. For Postal Service Managers
This section offers materials for you to use to help your letter carriers do their jobs more safely. You can use the progressive warning letters in this section to alert dog owners to the possible loss of mail delivery if they do not restrain their pets. And don’t forget to send a letter of thanks when they do!
Warning letters, like collection letters, need to be handled tactfully. The first and second sample letters tell customers what we want them to do. The third tells them we have taken corrective steps. The fourth details the customers’ options. The fifth is a thank you letter. In using these letters, keep in mind that our purpose is not to police the neighborhood but to obtain a safe environment in which carriers can do their work. Though most customers will respond to your first polite request, be meticulous in following up if they don’t. Otherwise your efforts will not be taken seriously.
[Insert Date]
[Insert Name]
[Insert Title]
[Insert Street Address]
[Insert City, State, ZIP+4]
Dear Postal Service Customer:
Your letter carrier takes pride in delivering your mail promptly and efficiently. That means being able to approach your mailbox without interference from your pet.
Although your dog may not be known to bite or otherwise be dangerous to people, your carrier has expressed concern about its behavior. I believe you will agree that this concern is understandable since each year thousands of letter carriers are bitten or physically harmed by dogs.
This letter is to inform you that we are concerned your dog may have a propensity to attack and to bite or otherwise injure your letter carrier.
To provide you uninterrupted mail delivery while protecting our letter carriers, the Postal Service™ is requesting your assistance. Please confine your dog, either in the house or tethered or fenced outdoors, away from the route your carrier uses to deliver your mail.
We appreciate your cooperation.
Sincerely,
[Sign]
[Insert Postmaster’s Name]
Postmaster
U.S. Postal Service
[Insert City, State, ZIP+4]
[Insert Date]
[Insert Name]
[Insert Title]
[Insert Street Address]
[Insert City, State, ZIP+4]
Dear Postal Service Customer:
We understand that you have installed an electronic fence on your property. We are writing to request that you keep your dog restrained or inside when the mail is delivered. Although the electronic fence may keep your dog from wandering, it does not protect your letter carrier, who must enter the property to deliver the mail.
Letter carriers may assume, when they see no physical fence around a property, that the property is animal-free. This can be a dangerous mistake.
Every year thousands of letter carriers are attacked and injured by dogs — many seriously. Even the kindest of family pets can bite to protect its territory.
So we request that you keep your animal restrained or inside during times when your letter carrier will be delivering the mail. Please help the Postal Service™ deliver your mail consistently and safely. Thank you for your help.
Sincerely,
[Sign]
[Insert Postmaster’s Name]
Postmaster
U.S. Postal Service
[Insert City, State, ZIP+4]
[Insert Date]
[Insert Name]
[Insert Title]
[Insert Street Address]
[Insert City, State, ZIP+4]
Dear Postal Service Customer:
We were unable to deliver your mail recently because your unrestrained dog threatened our letter carrier.
We previously notified you of our concern that your dog might have a propensity to attack and to bite or otherwise injure your letter carrier. That concern was based on prior observations.
We are sorry for any inconvenience the interruption of your mail delivery might have caused. However, I think you can understand that the Postal Service™ must protect its employees from potential injury.
If your carrier is threatened by your unrestrained dog again, we must take further action. That action will require you to either arrange to obtain your mail at a Post Office™ box or install a mail receptacle at the curb in front of your residence for home delivery.
To restore delivery at this time, please pick up your mail at our Post Office, which is located at [Address]. You will be asked to sign a statement assuring us that you will keep your dog restrained during normal delivery hours.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
[Sign]
[Insert Postmaster’s Name]
Postmaster
U.S. Postal Service
[Insert City, State, ZIP+4]
[Insert Date]
[Insert Name]
[Insert Title]
[Insert Street Address]
[Insert City, State, ZIP+4]
Dear Postal Service Customer:
We previously notified you that your dog is considered to be a danger to your letter carrier. Yet, on [Date], our letter carrier was again threatened by your dog. As a result of this incident, I must ask you to choose within the next [Number] days one of the following options for receiving your mail:
Until you have informed us of your decision, your mail will be held at [Post Office and Address]. It will be available for pickup during normal business hours, which are [Insert Your Office’s Monday-Friday and Saturday Hours]. If you have not picked up your mail within [Number of Days], we will return it to the senders.
If you have any questions concerning this policy, please call [Name] at [Phone Number].
Sincerely,
[Sign]
[Insert Postmaster’s Name]
Postmaster
U.S. Postal Service
[Insert City, State, ZIP+4]
[Insert Date]
[Insert Name]
[Insert Title]
[Insert Street Address]
[Insert City, State, ZIP+4]
Dear Postal Service Customer:
Thank you for keeping your dog safely away from the letter carrier’s path. Because dog owners like you accept responsibility for their pets, letter carriers and Postal Service™ employees as well as other service providers are better able to work in your neighborhood.
On behalf of both your regular letter carrier, [Name], and the substitute carriers who deliver your mail in [His/Her] absence, I appreciate your cooperation.
Sincerely,
[Sign]
[Insert Postmaster’s Name]
Postmaster
U.S. Postal Service
[Insert City, State, ZIP+4]
