Dog bite prevention week begins Sunday

The relationship between mailmen and dogs is more than a cartoon meme. In fact, the U.S. Postal Service says 25 Idaho postal carriers were bitten by dogs last year. There were two incidents in Idaho Falls and one in Pocatello. Nationwide, there were 5,714 attacks last year, down nearly 500 from 2017.

Postal officials say dogs aren’t the problem, it’s the dog owners who fail to restrain them.

“The dogs are only doing what is instinctive to them, which is protecting their property and family,” said Idaho Falls Postmaster Tony Haws. “It’s the dog owners who need to step up and restrain their dogs so our carriers can safely deliver the mail.”

In 2017, 22 carriers were bitten. Some of the bites required medical attention beyond first-aid and some were bad enough that carriers could not return to their normal duties for a period of time.

“We take the safety of our employees very seriously,” said Haws. “We will not wait until a carrier is attacked before taking preventative action. A dog that runs loose not only affects the delivery of the dog owner’s mail but often the delivery of their neighbors’ mail as well.”

“There’s a myth we often hear at the Postal Service: Don’t worry, my dog won’t bite,” said Pocatello Officer-in-Charge Angela Hughes. “Any dog can bite and all attacks are preventable through responsible pet ownership.”

The Postal Service offered some advice for pet owners. Dogs might see any interaction with a carrier as a threat to their owners or territory.

If a carrier delivers a letter or package to the front door, make sure to put your dog into a separate room and close the door. Remind children to keep dogs secured. If children take mail directly from a carrier, a dog might read that as a threatening gesture.

April 14 through April 20 has been designated as National Dog Bite Prevention Week.