said it does not collect numbers on dog attacks. Spokesman Dan McMackin, a former UPS driver who used to carry dog biscuits to woo surly pets, said he found pit bulls and smaller dog breeds to be more nettlesome than “hunting dogs” - such as Labrador retrievers and beagles - who “don’t have much to prove.”įedEx Corp. United Parcel Service said its 66,000 deliverers suffered about 900 dog bites last year, a percentage that has remained fairly stable. population growth means more residences to deliver to, postal carriers are also visiting homes more frequently and at all times of day, with packages or groceries in hand, thanks to agreements struck with Amazon in 20. Rising dog attacks come amid double-digit increases in the post office’s package business. She urges owners to secure their dogs in a separate room before opening the door and to remind family members not to take mail directly from letter carriers in front of their dog, which may view it as a threatening gesture. “Dog bite prevention training and continuing education are important to keep pet owners, pets and those who visit homes - like letter carriers - happy and healthy.” Postal Service Safety Director Linda DeCarlo in Los Angeles. “Even good dogs have bad days,” said U.S. In extreme cases, residents will be told to pick up mail at a post office until a repeat offender dog is restrained. Customers are asked on package pickup applications if there are dogs at their addresses. The post office hopes more public awareness will help.Īfter a 14 percent jump in dog attacks in 2015, the post office launched a “Trip Hazards” app on handheld devices to help warn carriers of potentially hostile dogs. Officially, 2 percent of carriers were bitten last year, but Solomon says every carrier he knows has some kind of “dog experience” to tell, from outrunning to cajoling a territorial pet. “It’s always on your mind as a carrier, ‘Is there a dog in the area and is it a threat?'” said James Solomon, a 17-year postal carrier. Still, while dog bite claims are rising, there are signs attacks may be less severe: The average cost per claim fell last year by more than 10 percent to $33,230, according to the Insurance Information Institute and State Farm. In the last year, dog attacks on carriers rose 3 percent. Overall, an estimated 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs annually, mostly children. Medical expenses and workers’ compensation cost the Postal Service millions of dollars each year. The Postal Service released its annual figures Thursday as part of National Dog Bite Prevention Week, which begins Sunday.Ī longtime cliche of movies, dog biting of mail carriers - or at least dog chasing - is no laughing matter for the post office. Los Angeles topped the 2016 list with 80 attacks on postal workers, followed by Houston with 62 and Cleveland with 60. The high for attacks dated back to the 1980s, at more than 7,000, before maulings by pit bulls and other potentially aggressive dogs became a public issue. Postal Service, but its carriers are incurring a cost: more dog bites.ĭog attacks on postal workers rose last year to 6,755, up 206 from the previous year and the highest in three decades, as internet shopping booms and consumers increasingly demand seven-day-a-week package delivery and groceries dropped at their doorstep. WASHINGTON - Booming online retail sales are good news for the U.S.
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