Dear Editor,

Did anyone bite you at work today?

On average, 16 mail carriers per day will say, “Yes.”

Postal Service officials report that in 2024, over 6,000 mail carriers experienced dog bites or dog attacks while just trying to do their jobs. With deliveries every day, including Sundays and holidays, carriers are on the move — and dog bites continue to affect them in all kinds of communities, from busy city streets to suburban driveways and quiet rural roads.

Dog attacks and bites are 100 percent preventable when dog owners remain vigilant and properly restrain their dogs.

To ensure mail carriers’ safety, dog owners must securely lock their dog in another room until a delivery exchange is done. If a dog is outside, the dog must be leashed away from the mailbox or doorstep as sometimes packages or certified mail require hand delivery all the way to your door. Make sure that moment doesn’t come with risk of injury.

When a carrier feels unsafe, mail service could be stopped, not only for the dog owner, but for the entire neighborhood if the dog is roaming the area. When mail service is stopped, mail must be picked up at the Post Office. Delivery service will not be restored until the dog is properly restrained and the area is deemed safe by the mail carrier.

With your help, we can keep our carriers, your neighbors and your dogs safe. Thank you for protecting your pet and our mail carriers as we continue to bring packages and other important correspondence to your door each day.

Sincerely,

SuKisha Kilgore

Postmaster

Covington Post Office

Covington, GA 30014