Did you know at least 53 percent of American households own
dogs? To help prevent attacks on letter carriers, the U.S. Postal Service holds
its National Dog Bite Awareness Week campaign to help educate the public on dog
attacks by offering safety tips and the need for increased pet ownership
responsibility.
“We’ve had 13 dog bites in St. Petersburg since October,” said St. Petersburg Postmaster Jackie Villemaire, who oversees 630 letter carriers. “Our goal is to protect our employees because the streets and neighborhoods are their work environment.”
“We take dog incidents very seriously,” Villemaire added. “Mail can be temporarily stopped if a postal carrier is attacked. If repeated attacks occur, mail can be stopped permanently, and a customer can be made to get a Post Office Box.”
St. Pete Euclid Station Letter Carrier and Safety Captain Nick Ehas (above) has been attacked twice during his seven-year career. Recently, he told NBC 8 in Tampa that he has close calls with dog bites monthly. “When a dog comes at a carrier, they are at its mercy and must rely on their training to get away. A carriers first line of defense is their mail bag and dog spray,” he said.
Ehas hopes Dog Bite Awareness Week is well received by all dog owners. “Please keep your dog secured away from the mailbox or inside your home when the letter carrier is in the neighborhood.
