Postal Service: Carrier Injured, Leash Your Dog

MERRIFIELD, Va. — Recent warm temperatures have created, for letter carriers, the perfect storm for danger. The dark side of a warm day is the unrestrained, protective dog. The Postal Service asks dog owners to be responsible pet owners and help protect the 1,473 letter carriers who deliver mail within Northern Virginia District.

There have been 49 dog bites/incidents recorded since March 2011. This year there have been seven dog bites, including three in the past two weeks. One carrier is still out of work and has undergone two surgeries after a dog jumped a back fence and attacked. Another carrier was out of work several days when two dogs ran through an open gate and inflicted eleven bites. A third carrier was attacked and bitten by a dog that lunged through a screen door.

“We work hard to make the work place safe for employees. When our carriers are on the street, their work place is the homes and businesses of the customers we serve,” said USPS District Manager Michael Furey. He oversees retail and delivery operations for customers within a 4,200 square mile geographic area bordering West Virginia to the west; the Potomac River to the east; Stafford, VA to the south; and Maryland to the north. Furey said he is obligated to ensure employees are safe. “We need help from our customers to keep our carriers safe,” he said.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

-Press release