Crime & Safety
Dog Bites Mail Carrier, USPS Reminds Residents To Secure Canines
A dog bit a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier outside its Hyattsville home after the dog escaped. The USPS reminds residents to secure dogs.
HYATTSVILLE, MD — Last week, a mail carrier reported being bitten by a dog that had escaped its Hyattsville home.
The incident happened July 12 in the 5800 block of 35th Place. The mail carrier told police they suffered a minor injury and refused additional medical treatment, according to a police report.
Hyattsville Police issued a civil citation to the dog's owner and notified animal control. The dog was quarantined at its owner's home, the police department stated.
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According to the United States Postal Service, incidents involving dog attacks on postal service employees increased to more than 6,000 cases last year. The USPS recommends people keep their dog in a separate room or area away from the door near where the mail carrier goes to deliver mail.
"If you go outside, close the door firmly behind you and make sure it is secured so your dog doesn’t slip out or bust through it unexpectedly. If you are outside with your dog while mail is being delivered, make sure your dog is secured away from the mail carrier and on a leash. Never accept the mail from your mail carrier in the presence of your dog," the USPS states on its website. "Pet owners also should remind children not to take mail directly from a letter carrier because the dog may view the carrier as a threat to the child."
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