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May 15, 2008 - News Release #08-055
National Dog Bite Prevention Week - May 18-24, 2008 - PDF | HTML
The Postal Service continues its tradition of calling attention to one of the nation’s most commonly reported public health problems: dog bites.
National Dog Bite Prevention Week is a public service campaign that offers safety tips and emphasizes the need for increased pet owner responsibility in the prevention of dog bites.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AMVA), the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) report that small children, the elderly, and Postal Service carriers — in that order — are the most frequent victims of dog bites. It is also stated that the number of dog bites exceeds the reported instances of measles, whooping cough and mumps, combined. Dog bite victims account for up to five percent of emergency room visits.
The Postal Service along with other organizations offers safety tips and emphasizes the need for pet owners to be more responsible. In 2007, more than 3,000 city and rural carriers were bitten by dogs. This number accounts for 63 fewer bites than the year before, it is still too many dog bites. Our campaign is Stay Alert: Don’t be Fooled by “My Dog Won’t Bite!”
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