Local USPS carrier discusses importance of Dog Bite Awareness Month
Kendall Flynn
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — The United States Postal Service is raising awareness through the month of June about dog bites. This comes after the USPS 2024 report found over 770 postal carriers in California were bit by dogs.
Officials said this ranks California at the top of the nation for carrier dog bites — something they want to improve by spreading awareness and telling owners steps they can take.
Palm Springs native and local Letter Carrier Angelita Ordonez was once chased by a dog during her usual route through the city. She said since then, she’s been more aware of dogs in neighborhoods, but she still hopes the community will help the issue.
“Keep your dogs inside behind the yard,” Ordonez said. “If we’re coming to the door, of course we ring the doorbell, we want to make sure that dog is put away in another room – you never know it might attack.”
All carriers with USPS are trained on dealing with potentially dangerous dogs with a scanner, dog repellant spray and taught to use their mail satchel for protection.
USPS officials report the mail carriers are trained to:
Make a non-threatening noise or rattle a fence to alert a dog if entering a yard;
Never startle a dog;
Keep their eyes on any dog;
Never assume a dog will not bite;
Never attempt to pet or feed a dog; and
Place their foot against an outward swinging door to prevent a dog from escaping.
But they also say there are steps owners can take to prevent the situation from happening in the first place, and some local pet owners agree even if their dogs like the mail carriers.
“I think it needs to be addressed for the mail guys because I’m sure it can be really hard on them,” Silke Bayer said. “But on the other side they’re like my dog. She really loves to meet them and see them. ”
“I always think there should be a barrier between a dog and whomever you know a leash…you don’t know how the dogs can react to the human,” Jesse Sandoval said. “Your neighbor represents you [and] you represent your neighbor. So if you’re a true community, you should be considerate of that.”
Stay with News Channel 3 to hear Ordonez’s story and from local pet owners on the awareness month and its impact on local carriers.