ST. LOUIS – According to a new United States Postal Service release, St. Louis ranks third in the country for dog attacks against mail carriers.
In 2017 alone, 52 carriers were attacked in our area.
There may be a variety of reasons for the uptick, but one of the leading causes is more and more people are having packages delivered to their doorstep from Amazon and other online retailers.
While that's good for business, and even the post office, that gives the carriers a lot more exposure to dogs.
Clifton Brookings has been delivering mail for eight years now.
He said every open door can be an open invitation to trouble.
"You don’t know if an animal is coming up on you," Brookings said.
Make no mistake, he loves his job, but not the surprises that can come with it.
"There’s been a lot of carriers that have been really hurt to the degree they can no longer carry mail," he said.
Just last week, Clifton found himself with his hands full and a dog charging at him.
"It came from behind the house. And I had by satchel and I had my mace, and we had a little encounter with each other," Brookings said.
It's a part of a growing problem in St. Louis.
The 52 attacks reported in 2017 is an increase of 21 from the previous year.
The Postmaster for the St. Louis area said these can be avoidable if residents take the proper steps.
“Make sure that when you have that knock at the door, put your dog in the other room or have them on the lease," he said.
Clifton adds, displaying a sign or even just saying something can make all the difference.
"If you just let us know, as carriers because we’re coming to your porch every day," Brookings said.
He said he wouldn't dare come in between someone's love for their dog, but that it can prevent a package from reaching your doorstep.
"If we’re unable to approach your house because of your dog, then there’s mail you yourself is delaying that might be important to you," he said.
Clifton also pointed out even if you're just walking your dog, you need to make sure they're on the leash. Unrestrained dogs can also pose a threat to letter carriers.
