Photos by: CNN
By launching Bite Prevention Week, the US Postal Service is reporting the highest number of dog attacks on employees in 30 years.
The United States Post Office reports that dog attacks on postal workers have risen to the highest levels they have been in three decades, and cited increased online shopping and seven-day delivery expectations as the rationale behind the spike.
The number of dog attacks on mail carriers last year was 6,755, 206 higher than in 2015, and the highest since 1980. In Los Angeles alone, there were 80 attacks on postal workers in 2016, with Houston and Cleveland following closely with 62 and 60 respectively.
Related: Dog bites take a big bite out of homeowners’ liability insurance claim costs
The stats were released because this week is National Dog Bite Prevention Week, and airlines want to work to keep their employees safe as well as customers’ dogs. On average, it is estimated that 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs, and although most of them are children, this estimate includes a three percent increase in the number of postal workers who are attacked.
According to the Insurance Information Institute and State Farm, the average cost per claim for postal workers has already fallen by more than ten percent, but medical expenses and workers’ compensation bonuses cost taxpayers millions of dollars annually.
Related: How to Call a Truce Between Your Dog and a Mail Carrier
Retailers like Amazon and Walmart are sharing impressive growth numbers in delivery goods and services, and Los Angeles Postal Service safety director Linda DiCarlo says that teaching dog bite prevention is imperative. Their goal, she says, is to keep pet owners, pets, and anyone who visits their homes happy and healthy, and that includes mail carriers.
She advises pet owners to ensure their pets are in another room when the mail carrier comes to the door, and she also suggests that family members be careful about accepting mail from a mail carrier in front of their dog, as the dog may see the exchange as threatening and attacking.
It can be argued that even good dogs can have bad days, and owners are urged to take steps to prevent their pets and message carriers from any harm.
