Dallas Postal Workers Under Attack: Dogs to Blame

Carrying the mail should be an innocuous job, and it can be relatively safe to be a postal worker until a negligent homeowner allows a dangerous dog to run at large. When this happens, postal workers are put under dire risk of life and limb. Dallas postal workers are continually exposed to dangerous dogs, despite the fact that dog attacks among postal workers fell overall in 2018 throughout the United States. In Dallas, it’s a different story altogether.

Dog bite attacks can be very frightening. Dogs can turn deadly without warning and without any sort of provocation, transforming in seconds from docile, loving pets to rage-filled maneaters. The Law Offices of Dorothy Hyde offer expert representation for dog bite victims; if you have been attacked by a dog, reach out to our Dallas dog bite attorney now.

The U.S. Postal Service released data this month indicating that 49 Dallas postal service workers were bitten in 2018, making Dallas the fifth-most-dangerous city for mail carriers in the nation. Just 40 workers were attacked the year before. Overall across the country, there were 5,714 dog attacks on postal workers, which is down 500 from 2017 and 1,000 from 2016.

Other Texas cities also made the top 10 for highest number of dog bites among postal workers. Fort Worth was number nine with 35 attacks, while San Antonio placed fifth with 47 attacks. Houston was rated the number one city in the country for dog bite attacks, with 75 attacks in 2018. California is the top state for dog bites among postal workers, with 794 dog bites last year. Texas is number two with a total of 462.

The postal service says that the overall decline in dog bite attacks is due to technology improvements put into place to help mail carriers stay safer, including a package pickup app and mobile delivery scanners. The package scheduling app requires users to indicate the presence of dogs at their addresses. If dogs are present, then the postal service sends carrier alerts that help carriers be more vigilant. The mobile delivery scanners are used to confirm deliveries and have a feature that asks the carrier to indicate if there is a dog at each home or business address. This information is useful for future carriers.

The USPS says that there are things that customers with dogs can do to help reduce dog bite attacks. Before opening the door for the mail carrier, place dogs behind a closed door in another room. Instruct children not to take mail from the carrier when a dog is nearby. And be understanding with your carrier if he/she doesn’t feel safe bringing your deliveries; you may be required to pick up your mail at the post office instead.

Bitten By a Dog?

Our Dog Bite Attorney at the Law Offices of Dorothy Hyde in Dallas are ready to hear your story and get you started on a healing path to justice. Call (214) 883-1700 or click here to speak with our professional attorneys today.

Source: https://patch.com/texas/dallas-ftworth/dog-attacks-dallas-postal-workers-are-rising

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