What Should Letter Carriers Know About Dogs?
Perhaps the most important thing that USPS letter carriers should know about dogs is that, while certain breeds are more dangerous than others, any dog can attack at any moment for seemingly no reason. Most letter carriers know to keep a lookout for dangerous breeds of dogs along their route, such as Pitbulls, Rottweilers and Dobermans. However, today, mixed-breed dogs make up a large percentage of dog ownership.
According to the most recently available data, pit bulls are the most dangerous breed of dog. However, after pit bulls, mixed-breed animals are responsible for as many attacks as any other breed.
Letter carriers should keep an eye out for all dogs while on their route, not just pit bulls and other breeds that are known to be dangerous. When letter carriers encounter a dog, regardless of the breed, they should keep the following in mind:
1.) Stay calm
Whenever a dog approaches, the desire to turn and run is normal. However, doing so only risks triggering the animal’s instinct to pursue. Instead, letter carriers should remain calm and stay still while looking in the dog’s general direction.
2.) Avoid eye contact
While letter carriers shouldn’t turn their back on a dog, they should also avoid making direct eye contact. Many dogs take direct eye contact as a threat, which can increase the chances of an attack.
3.) Create a physical barrier
Letter carriers should slowly bring their satchel or some other object between themselves and the dog when approached by an unknown dog. This will block the dog’s line of sight as well as act as a physical barrier if the dog attempts an attack.
4.) Back away slowly
As the dog begins to lose interest, letter carriers should slowly start to back away from the animal while keeping their body toward the animal. They should not turn around, as this may give a frightened or aggressive animal an opportunity to attack.
If you are a USPS worker who was attacked by a dog while on your route, the Chicago USPS dog bite lawyers at Briskman Briskman & Greenberg are here for you. At Briskman Briskman & Greenberg, our personal injury lawyers have over 30 years of experience helping postal workers obtain the compensation they need and deserve after being bit by a dog. To learn more, and to schedule a free consultation, call 1-877-595-4878 today. Because we work on a contingency basis, you will not pay any upfront costs to bring a claim, and we will not charge you for our services unless we can get you the compensation you deserve.
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