To mark USPS National Dog Bite Awareness Week, the Postal Service is educating employees and customers about some safety features that can help reduce attacks.
The features include:
• Mobile Delivery Devices (MDDs). Letter carriers, rural carriers and others use these handheld scanners to confirm customer deliveries. MDDs have a feature that allows carriers to indicate the presence of dogs at an address. These alerts can offer a heads-up to substitute carriers who are filling in for regular carriers.
• Informed Delivery. This free feature allows users to manage their package deliveries. Customers can use it to plan when to secure their dogs ahead of a carrier’s arrival.
• Package Pickup. This free feature, available on usps.com, allows customers to schedule a pickup during their carrier’s normal delivery time. Customers can use the feature to let USPS know a dog is present at the address. A notification is then sent to the carrier’s MDD.
Employees like Hojung Lee, a Fairfax, VA, letter carrier who was once bitten by a dog, encourage customers to do their part to help create a safer delivery environment.
“Many times dog bites can be prevented if our customers are educated about dog safety. We shouldn’t have to worry about getting bit by a dog when we deliver mail,” he said.
The Postal Service is sharing additional tips through employee news articles, videos and other materials during USPS National Dog Bite Awareness Week, which is underway through June 20.
