TOPEKA (KSNT) – The United State Postal Service (USPS) wants to make dog owners aware of the seriousness of dog bites to mail carriers.
From Sunday, June 2 through Sunday, June 9, the USPS is offering information on how dog owners can help ensure safety for mail carriers and help mail get delivered safely in the USPS 2024 National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign, according to a news release. This year’s theme is “Don’t let your dog bite the hand that serves you.”
“Letter carriers are exposed to potential hazards every day, none more prevalent than a canine encounter. All it takes is one interaction for a letter carrier to possibly suffer an injury,” Leeann Theriault, USPS Manager, Employee Safety and Health Awareness said. “The U.S. Postal Service consistently encourages responsible pet ownership. The national dog bite campaign is an effort to promote dog bite awareness to keep our customers, their dogs, and letter carriers safe while delivering the mail.”
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Dog owners can contribute to mail being delivered safely across the Capital City. According to the news release, most people know the approximate time that mail will be delivered; securing your dog before the mail carrier gets there will minimize the potential for dangerous interactions. To track your USPS deliveries, click here.
USPS advises people to do the following when anticipating mail delivery:
According to the news release, mail carriers are trained to be on the lookout for potentially dangerous conditions and do the following:
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Make a non-threatening noise or rattle a fence to alert a dog if entering a yard
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Never startle a dog
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Keep their eyes on any dog
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Never assume a dog will not bite
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Never attempt to pet or feed a dog
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Place their foot against an outward swinging door to prevent a dog from escaping
“Even though a customer’s dog is friendly to most people, it can always have a bad day,” letter carrier Tara Snyder said. “I know, from experience, even when a dog is in the house, customers need to make sure their door is secure so their dog can’t push it open and bite the letter carrier.”
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The chart below lists the number of dog bites in Kansas cities.
|
City, State |
# of DOG BITE/DOG |
|
Wichita, Kansas |
13 |
|
Topeka, Kansas |
8 |
|
Kansas City, Kansas |
7 |
|
Junction City, Kansas |
5 |
|
Overland Park, Kansas |
4 |
|
Mission, Kansas |
4 |
|
Shawnee, Kansas |
3 |
|
Iola, Kansas |
2 |
|
Lenexa, Kansas |
2 |
|
Garden City, Kansas |
2 |
|
Derby, Kansas |
2 |
|
Chanute, Kansas |
2 |
|
Atchison, Kansas |
2 |
|
Winfield, Kansas |
1 |
|
Wamego, Kansas |
1 |
|
Ulysses, Kansas |
1 |
|
Tonganoxie, Kansas |
1 |
|
Pittsburg, Kansas |
1 |
|
Newton, Kansas |
1 |
|
Liberal, Kansas |
1 |
|
Marion, Kansas |
1 |
|
Marysville, Kansas |
1 |
|
Leavenworth, Kansas |
1 |
|
Great Bend, Kansas |
1 |
|
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas |
1 |
|
Gardner, Kansas |
1 |
|
Council Grove, Kansas |
1 |
|
Coffeyville, Kansas |
1 |
|
Caney, Kansas |
1 |
|
Cheney, Kansas |
1 |
|
Baxter Springs, Kansas |
1 |
|
Arma, Kansas |
1 |
|
Atwood, Kansas |
1 |
To see dog attack statistics in your city from 2023, click here.
For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.
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