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Fayetteville postmaster gets word out about dog bites

By CAROLYN CARY
ccary@TheCitizenNews.com

Fayetteville postmaster Doris Roden has announced National Dog-bite Prevention Week from May 15-21.

It has been reported that small children, the elderly, and letter carriers, in that order, are the most frequent victims. Dog attacks are the most commonly reported childhood public health problem in the United States. The number of dog attacks exceeds the reported instances of measles, whooping cough, and mumps, combined. Dog bit victims account for up to 5 percent of emergency room visits. Approximately 800,000 people are admitted to emergency departments annually with dog bite-associated injuries.

Many of the OSHA-recordable bites that were reported by 3,300 letter carriers in 2004 came from dogs whose owners said they would not bite.

Suggestions for avoiding being bitten include not running past a dog. Its natural instinct is to chase and catch prey.

If a dog threatens you, don’t scream. Avoid eye contact and try to remain motionless until the dog leaves, and then back away slowly until the dog is out of sight.

Don’t be fooled because the dog is cute. Teach children to ask permission from a dog’s owner before petting it. If a strange dog approaches your child, they would drop to the ground, curl in a ball and cover the head and face. Never disturb a dog that is eating, sleeping, or caring for puppies.

In the case of letter carriers suffering from a dog bite, medical expenses, workers’ compensation, legal costs, delivery curtailment, and carrier replacement can account for over $25 million annually for the Postal Service.

“We urge our citizens to act responsibly as regards your pet, your children, and our letter carriers,” said Roden.