LETTER OF THE WEEK

Last week, a Huntington Beach letter carrier was attacked by three pit

bull dogs while delivering mail. Luckily the dogs did not bite the

carrier, but as he ran to escape from them he fell and broke his arm in

several places. He had surgery to set the bones, and he will be off work

for a minimum of six weeks. He was the third letter carrier to suffer a

dog bite or attack in Orange County in one week.

Would your dog attack and bite? The Humane Society of the United

States estimates that more than 4 million dog bites are reported to local

authorities each year. Countless more go unreported.

Dog bites range from painless nips to fatal maulings. Children are

most often the victims. Dog attacks are the most commonly reported

childhood public health problem in the United States. Dog bite victims

account for as much as five percent of all hospital emergency room

visits.

You may feel confident that your dog won’t add to these statistics,

and it is probably true that your trusty companion will never seriously

harm anyone. However those people who say “my dog never bites” will be

surprised to learn that nearly 70% of the fatal attacks involved a family

pet.

If your dog does attack or bite someone, you could be liable for the

victim’s pain, suffering and medical expenses. Potential victims include

your letter carrier and children in your neighborhood. There are several

ways you can avoid liability. Reducing the likelihood your dog will ever

bite someone helps protect you, your canine companion and everyone else

in the community.

Why some dogs bite:

Although dogs may bite for a variety of reasons, spaying or neutering

has been shown to reduce aggressiveness. Bite statistics show that

unsterilized dogs are up to three times more likely to be involved in a

biting incident than sterilized dogs.

Lack of socialization, improper training and fear can all contribute

to a dog attack. Even a nip on the leg is unacceptable behavior for a

family dog.

Here are three suggestions to help take the bite out of your dog:

* Teach your dog appropriate behavior. Don’t play aggressive games

with your dog such as wrestling, tug of war, or siccing your dog on

another person.

* For everyone’s safety, don’t allow your dog to roam. Dog owners can

prevent serious injuries by realizing that a chain may not be a

sufficient restraint. A securely enclosed and locked pen or structure,

one that is able to prevent the entry of young children, may also be

necessary.

* Stay on the safe side. If you don’t know how your dog will react to

a new situation, be cautious. If you think your dog could panic in a

crowd, leave him/her at home. If your dog may overreact to visitors or

delivery people, keep him/her in another room. Help your dog become

accustomed to a variety of situations.

If your letter carrier experiences any interference from your dog when

he or she is delivering mail we will stop delivering and ask you either

to move your mail box to the curb of the street or rent a post office box

at the post office.

The Postal Service is not anti-dog, but pro-responsibility.

Responsible pet ownership includes making sure your pet is properly

restrained. Dog bites are painful for letter carriers and can be hard on

the wallet.

JEANNE HANNAHS

Postmaster

Huntington Beach Post Office