Delivering Mail In CR Really Bites

To us who own them, our dogs can do no wrong. Most mail carriers feel the same way, despite reports that the United States Postal Service (USPS) is seeing an uptick in a dangerous problem among its carriers...dog attacks.

There have been ten reported dog attacks on postal carriers already this year in the Cedar Rapids area--the same number as last year altogether. Unfortunately, that includes the daughter of one of our co-workers, who is a mail carrier in Cedar Rapids.

The most recently reported incident was on June 20th, and the USPS says it's not just an isolated area that is prone to the problem--they have issues in many neighborhoods.

Many postal carriers note that they are dog owners themselves, they love dogs and realize it's just the instinct of a dog to protect the home. The best thing you can do is make sure your dog is secure, under control and can't get out on its own. If your dog is outside, make sure they are securely on a leash or away from the mailbox. It doesn't hurt to give them something to distract them from the mail carrier while they're out.

If a mail carrier feels continually threatened by a dog, the USPS says owner may be asked to pick up mail in person at the post office.

[Via KCRG]