In this digital age, people rarely mail letters or depend on information coming through the mail unless it is something to do with the government. Yet, mail carriers are busier than ever. Just because we are emailing instead of mailing letters, doesn’t mean that we aren’t receiving or sending bigger items like packages. With the rise of online shopping, people are receiving more and more packages which means that mail carriers are coming up to our doors more than ever. Our Kansas City Dog & Animal Bites Attorneys at Mayer & Rosenberg, PC have front row seats to the increase in mail carrier injuries due to dog bites. An increase in using the mail is important in maintaining and keeping jobs, but at what cost to the mail carrier?
Shocking Dog Bite Statistics
There are over 89 million pet dogs in the United States which is a big increase in dog ownership since early 2000. Having a dog in the house gives people a sense of protection and safety. Dogs are a wonderful companion that many people treat dogs as if they are their own children. As sweet as dogs can be around their owners and familiar places, there is no telling what a dog will do when strangers or unfamiliar places are involved. Just because you’ve trained your dog doesn’t mean that your dog can’t act autonomously. In 2017 there were 39 dog bite fatalities. Of those fatalities, 62% were adults and 38% were children under the age of 8 years old. More importantly, the majority of fatalities happened on the dog owners property.
Kansas City is one of the worst states for mail carriers. Next to Denver, CO and Baltimore, MD, Kansas City mail carriers are getting attacked by dogs more and more. Houston is number one for dog attacks with 78 bites reported in 2018.
Michal McDonald’s Story
Michael McDonald is a mail carrier who visits multiple properties every day. He is confident in his job until he reaches a property with a dog. McDonald stated that many times dog owners will be reassured that the dog won’t bite, but he knows better.
McDonald knows that dogs won’t bite their owners, but there is a strong chance that the dog will bite a stranger while on their territory. McDonald has been bitten twice in his career. Recently he was attacked by a dog that jumped over a fence while running loose in the yard. In order to protect himself, McDonald had to jump on top of a car. After so many attacks McDonald doesn’t blame the dog. We all know that people have dogs for protection. Dogs are just doing their job. Instead of blaming the dogs, McDonald blames the dog owners.
What To Do
Even though mail carriers are likely to get bitten by a dog, they are not the only victims. People have been attacked for strolling through the neighborhood away from the property. If you or someone you love is suffering from a dog attack injury, call 816-941-8949 or click here for a free consultation with our professional attorneys at Mayer & Rosenberg, PC in Kansas City today.