Avoid dog bite: Follow mail carriers’ advice to the letter
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On foot with the man behind the mail
This is National Dog Bite Prevention Week. Rafael Rivera, a carrier with the U.S. Postal Service in Richmond, took us along as he delivered mail on a route with plenty of dogs.Published: May 22, 2009
If you want good advice on avoiding dog bites, ask a mail carrier.
"I always approach dogs cautiously. Even though an owner says, 'Oh, they won't [bite],' you never know," said Rafael Rivera, who has been delivering mail in Richmond for six years.
He was bitten once while putting mail into a door slot without a safety flap on the inside that would've protected his fingers. He said he didn't fault the dog because "it was taking care of the house."
Last year, more than 3,000 postal employees across the nation were bitten by dogs. Many were attacked by pets that broke free from their owners or jumped through screen or glass doors. In the Richmond district, which includes the entire state except Northern and Southwest Virginia, 24 employees were bitten in 2008.
The U.S. Postal Service is spotlighting safety this week -- National Dog Bite Prevention Week -- by offering these tips.
How to avoid being bitten
- Don't run past a dog. Its instinct is to chase and catch prey.
- If a dog threatens you, don't scream; avoid eye contact. Stand still until it leaves or back away slowly until it is out of sight.
- If you think the dog is about to attack, put something between you and the dog, such as a backpack or bike.
- Don't approach a strange dog, especially one that is tied up or confined.
How to be a responsible dog owner
- Get obedience training for your dog to teach it proper behavior and help you control it.
- Keep your dog inside and away from the door when the mail carrier comes.
- Spay or neuter your dog. Neutered dogs are less likely to bite.
Contact Penelope M. Carrington at (804) 649-6027 or
.
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Reader Reactions
Good advice
Nationwide,dog bites are trending downwards including with the Postal Service but let`s keep that trend going in the right direction by educating year round rather than 1 week/yr and by being responsible dog owners year round.
http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/dog-bites/
In Your State
Dogs do some things by instinct. Anything that sounds like a snake’s rattle is likely to set a dog off. My mother once had a dog that would attack people wearing hats - including me. Keep small children away from dogs.
At the Times-Dispatch, I believe it’s the editors who do all the biting. And nice story, Penelope.
Okay, let me guess—some editor was bitten by a dog and now it’s a news story?
Good points.
One other I would like to add is when first meeting a dog that isn’t attacking, don’t reach to pet him. Stand still, slightly turned away from the dog, put your arm down, don’t look him in the eye or say anything to him (ignore him) and let him come to you to smell you. Even after passing the smell test still be cautious by not making sudden gestures and don’t make the mistake of thinking he is going to remember you the next time you meet, he probably won’t.
Having two wonderful, great dogs who have never bitten anyone, I am always overly cautious when they encounter people they do not know or don’t know well (including the vet since that’s a once a year thing). An innocent gesture could very well be taken as threatening by one or both of the dogs and I would rather be overly cautious then to have someone injured.
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