Why U.S. postal carriers may be more guarded in certain New York City neighborhoods

According to New York City Economic Development Corporation, the city’s five boroughs are home to some 600,000 dogs. Owning a dog, especially in a dense urban area, is a big responsibility and dog owners must not only take steps to ensure that they vaccinate, clean up after and leash their canine companions; but also that members of the public are safe from a potential dog bite or attack.

The antagonistic relationship between dogs and mail carriers is one that’s been depicted in numerous television programs, books and films. Given their related job duties, it makes sense that mail carriers comprise one of the largest segments of dog bite victims. In May of this year, the U.S. Postal Service released a report detailing those cities where the most mail carriers reported being bitten or attacked by dogs during 2014.

The Queens neighborhood of Flushing ranked the highest of any New York City neighborhood, with a reported 30 dog bites. Following second with 11 reported dog bites was another Queens neighborhood, Jamaica. Lastly, with 10, Staten Island rounded out the three top New York City neighborhoods that reported the most dog bites by U.S. postal carriers.

Across all segments of the city’s population, annually, roughly 4,000 New York City residents report being bit or attacked by dogs. Injuries suffered as a result of these bites and attacks can be serious and cause those individuals impacted to suffer significant physical, emotional and financial pains.

New York’s dog bite laws favor dog bite victims and dog owners are typically required to compensate individuals who incur financial losses after a dog bite. In some cases, it may make sense to pursue additional legal action against a dog’s owner. An attorney who handles premises liability and dog bite cases can assist.

Source: citylimits.org, “How New York Ranks on National Dog Bite List,” Jarrett Murphy, May 14, 2015