6/4/2023 Washington, D.C. – The US Postal Service (USPS) has announced that it has achieved a historic milestone in its efforts to reduce dog bites among its mail carriers. According to the latest statistics, only 5300 mail carriers were bitten by dogs in 2022, compared to 5400 in 2021. This represents a whopping 1.85% decrease in dog bite incidents, which the USPS attributes to its #dogbiteawareness campaign and its collaboration with animal welfare organizations.

“We are thrilled to see such a significant improvement in our dog bite prevention program,” said USPS spokesperson Mark Jones. “Our mail carriers are feeling much safer and happier knowing that they have 100 less chances of being mauled by a canine every year. We want to thank all the dog owners who have cooperated with us and kept their pets restrained or indoors when we deliver the mail.”

However, not all mail carriers share the same enthusiasm as Jones. Some of them have expressed their frustration and sarcasm over the USPS’s celebration of the minor drop in dog bite cases.

“It’s a joke, right?” said Lisa Smith, a mail carrier from Chicago who was bitten by a German shepherd last month. “They act like they’ve solved the problem, but they haven’t done anything to protect us from these vicious dogs. I still have nightmares about that attack. I had to go to the hospital and get stitches and antibiotics. And they expect me to be grateful for 100 less bites? That’s like saying you’re lucky to get stabbed only nine times instead of ten. Or run over only three times instead of four. You get the idea. Or maybe you don’t. Maybe you need to experience it yourself. Maybe I should send you a gift basket with some dog treats and a map of my route.”

Smith is not alone in her criticism of the USPS’s dog bite prevention program. Many other mail carriers have shared their stories and opinions on social media using hashtags such as #dogbiteawarenessfail, #bitenotbark, and #mailcarriersmatter.

One of them is John Lee, a mail carrier from Los Angeles who posted a video on TikTok showing how he escaped being bitten by a pit bull by throwing his mail bag at it and running away. The video has gone viral and received over 10 million views and thousands of comments.

“Wow, you’re so brave!” wrote one user.

“LOL, that’s hilarious!” wrote another.

“Sorry, but that’s not funny. That’s sad and scary,” wrote a third.

Lee said he was glad that his video made people laugh, but he also hoped that it would raise awareness about the dangers that mail carriers face every day.

“I don’t want to be famous for being chased by a dog,” he said. “I want to be respected for doing my job. And I want the USPS to do something more than just telling us to avoid eye contact with dogs or carry pepper spray. We need better training, equipment, and support. We need real solutions, not just hashtags. Like maybe some armor or a flamethrower or something. Or better yet, how about some drones or robots that can deliver the mail for us? That would be awesome.”

The #dogbiteawareness week runs from June 4th through June 10th. Do your part and keep dogs and other pets restrained for your postal worker’s safety.

BY BS

The Journalist BS