More than 5,000 letter carriers bitten by dogs in 2014, how you can help prevent these incidents

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- They walk the streets every day delivering America’s mail and during National Dog Bite Prevention Week, May 16th-22th, Milwaukee letter carriers want to deliver a special message to the community about working together to avoid the cost and pain of dog bites.

Last year, 5,767 letter carriers were bitten or attacked by dogs. But that number pales in comparison to the more than 2 million children who received dog bite injuries in a single year.

“That’s why we want to deliver this important message,” said Milwaukee Postmaster Easton C. Wright.  “Several of our letter carriers know first-hand about both the prevention and the pain of animal attacks and we want to do whatever we can to help educate the community — especially parents and pet owners.”

More than 4.5 million people are bitten annually by dogs. Last year, nearly 5,000 letter carriers were bitten by dogs across the country. At Milwaukee Post Offices, there have been at least ten dog incidents within the last year.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) report that small children, the elderly, and letter carriers, in that order, are the most frequent victims of dog bites. Children are the majority of victims and are 900 times more likely to be bitten than letter carriers.

“Dog attacks are the most commonly reported childhood public health problem in the United States,” adds Wright. “Dog bite victims account for up to 5 percent of emergency room visits.”

The following tips will help people avoid being bitten by a dog and offer advice on how to be a responsible dog owner.

How to Avoid Being Bitten 

How to Be a Responsible Dog Owner

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