National Dog Bite Prevention Week

It's National Dog Bite Prevention Week, April 8 -14. A public service campaign offers safety tips and emphasizes responsible pet ownership. Above, Palm Central Letter Carrier Michael Cavanagh delivers dog bite prevention cards to a West Palm Beach residence.  
Photo: West Palm Beach Acting Customer Relations Coordinator Gayle Jones

Dog Bite Prevention Tips:

 

· If a carrier delivers mail or packages to your front door, place your dog in a separate room and close that door before opening the front door. Some dogs burst through screen doors or plate-glass windows to attack visitors. Dog owners should keep the family pet secured.

·  Parents should remind their children and other family members not to take mail directly from carriers in the presence of the family pet, as the dog may view the person handing mail to a family member as a threatening gesture.

·  The Postal Service places the safety of its employees as a top priority. If a carrier feels threatened by a dog, or if a dog is loose or unleashed, the owner may be asked to pick up mail at a Post Office until the carrier is assured the pet has been restrained. If a dog is roaming the neighborhood, the pet owner’s neighbors also may be asked to pick up their mail at the area’s Post Office.