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Dogs And Postal Workers: An Age-Old Problem, Complications, And A Solution

28 June 2017 by Aiden Hill

There is many a joke and cartoon about dogs attacking postal workers along their routes. However, it is not really a joke when a postal worker does encounter a dog that refuses to allow the postal worker to pass. Here are some of the typical complications that arise from this particular situation, and a very reasonable solution that you, as a postal worker, can use.

You Get Injured 

If a customer's dog attacks you, you get injured. You are out of work for days, and you may lose some money from your paycheck in the process. If you decide to sue the owner of the dog, this is a very tense situation as it could spell problems for the U.S. Post Office and the longevity of your job. The typical alternatives are not much better.

The Customer's Dog Gets Injured

This is another complication that could arise. It is human nature to try to defend oneself in a moment of danger, which means you might strike or kick the dog to keep it from biting you or ripping your flesh off. You might use pepper spray, which damages the dog's eyes, sight, ability to smell, and ability to breathe. In all of these instances, you have injured someone's pet, and you could be sued. Of course, the bigger problem is that you are a federal employee and represent the federal government, which means that the customer could sue the federal government and U.S. Post Office for injuries you inflicted on the dog in self-defense.

You Refuse to Deliver the Mail

The final alternative and complication to this problem is that you simply refuse to deliver the mail. Technically, you already know that you cannot do this as the customer is entitled to receive his/her daily mail in a timely fashion. He or she could file complaints against you, which could cost you your job, despite the fact that the dog is the reason why you cannot deliver the mail.

The Best Solution

The best solution to your situation is one that A) allows you to do your job without fear of an animal attack, B) does not hurt a customer's animal, and C) will not result in lawsuits of any kind. For that, you need dog repellent that does not involve chemicals and will never touch the dog. There are products that do exactly this. They use high-frequency sounds or loud noises that cause dogs to back off and run the other direction. The products are light-weight enough to carry in your delivery bag, should you need them on your route.

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