Dedham Police Issue Warning After Mail Workers Attacked By Dogs

DEDHAM, MA — After two incidents of dog attacks within the past week, one on a USPS letter carrier and another on a UPS delivery driver, Dedham police are warning residents not to leave dogs unattended where they have access to the path of delivery services.

"Dog laws are in place to protect public safety, and that includes those who are visiting Dedham homes to serve their customers," the department wrote in a news release Tuesday.

"Even the nicest of dogs, with an established relationship with your routine letter or package delivery person, [are] risky," the department added. "Last year we had an incident where a substitute letter carrier, delivering to a route while the regular carrier was on vacation, was bitten by the dog -because the carrier did not have a ‘cookie’ which the dog was expecting from his ‘friend’."

As a result of that bite, along with numerous other similar incidents, postmasters in towns across the state, including Dedham, have reinforced the USPS' existing policy forbidding carriers from keeping treats in their pockets, the department added.

The department also emphasized that USPS regulations require that a letter carrier not attempt delivery of mail to any address where an unrestrained dog is present, for their own safety. In these instances, customers have to claim their mail at the post office, the department added.

UPS has a policy that if a dog is present, drivers are to honk their horns to get the owner's attention, police said. Drivers are not faulted by management if they cite ‘dog’ as the reason for not making a delivery.

In a final reminder, police wrote that anyone answering their door to accept or sign for a package or letter should place their dog in another room or crate before opening the door.

"Dogs are often natural protectors of homes and their masters, so please don’t minimize the margin for error," the department concluded.