National Dog Bite Prevention Week

We are not sure who came up with this idea, but this is a week that the United States Post Office takes very seriously. With 3,184 letter carriers bit last year this is something they are trying to crack down on. About 800,000 Americans are attacked by dogs each year. Nearly half of those attacked will seek emergency care, out of those injured about a dozen die.

With a strong community outreach there were 89 fewer dog bites nationwide last year. If people are made aware of this problem we can continue to fix it!

In April we posted a Dog Bite Prevention Week from Massachusetts, but the third week in May has been designated for National Dog Bite Prevention Week. Here are some tips from our previous post that will help support National Dog Prevention Week.


· When your letter carrier comes to your home keep your dog inside, away from the door, in another room or on a leash.

· Don’t allow your dog to bark, jump up against the door, or bite the mail as it comes through the mail slot; this will only teach your dog to attack the letter carrier.

· If your dog has to be out during mail delivery time, make sure it is restrained and that the length of that restraint does not allow it to reach the path the mail carrier has to take in order to deliver your mail.

· Do not tie your dog near the mail receptacle.

· Do not let your child take mail from the letter carrier in the presence of your dog. Your dog’s instinct is to protect the family.

· Obedience training can teach your dog proper behavior and help you control your dog in any situation.

· Spay or neuter your dog — un-neutered dogs are more likely to bite.

· Make sure your dog has had its shots and is licensed.

Source: latimesblogs.latimes.com, Sink your teeth into this: it's National Dog Bite Prevention Week