Dog Bite Awareness Week starts June 2

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — According to the United States Postal Service incidents involving dog attacks on employees rose to more than 5,800 cases last year.

As part of the USPS National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign, they are offering information on how dog owners can be good stewards for safe mail delivery.

The campaign begins Sunday, June 2, and runs through Sunday, June 9.

This year’s theme is “Don’t let your dog bite the hand that serves you.”

“Letter carriers are exposed to potential hazards every day, none more prevalent than a canine encounter. All it takes is one interaction for a letter carrier to possibly suffer an injury,” said Leeann Theriault, USPS Manager, Employee Safety and Health Awareness. “The U.S. Postal Service consistently encourages responsible pet ownership.”

USPS says that all dogs can bite, even those perceived as nonaggressive, and that dogs are generally protective of their turf.

They recommend dog owners follow guidelines to ensure safe mail delivery

• keep dogs, inside the house or behind a fence;
• Away from the door or in another room; or
• On a leash.

They recommend telling children to not take the mail from a letter carrier as the dog may view the carrier as a threat to the child.

USPS also says that a good way to prevent a dog bite is by using Informed Delivery, a free USPS service, customers can digitally preview incoming mail and packages from a computer, tablet, or mobile device.

According to the most recent information available from the Insurance Information Institute, the average cost per insurance claim for a dog bite is $64,555. When a postal employee is bitten, the owner could be responsible for medical bills, lost wages, and uniform replacement costs for the employee.

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