140 LBS Dog Attacked Letter Carrier
Posted by Belle on 04 Nov 2009 at 01:46 pm | Tagged as: Uncategorized
Let’s pause and ponder for a moment. What do you think is the ideal job nowadays that outweighs its advantages from its disadvantages? Nursing? Surely they get paid well but they work long night shift messing up the body’s biological clock. Teaching? With the preponderance of rotten kids these days, I don’t think teaching is such an ideal profession anymore. Stress gets to you eventually unless you teach in a better neighborhood. Delivering mail? Almost but not quite. Come to think of it, letter carriers like me are prone to accidents despite at how adamantly and religiously we follow safety rules and regulations. While we try our hardest to be safe, there are things that surround us that are beyond our control.
For instance, a couple of months ago, a fellow carrier while unassumingly serving the box, an inattentive driver driving a full-size Ford pickup struck the letter carrier’s vehicle from behind in broad daylight pushing it off the road into the wash about 40 to 50 feet away from where the vehicle was initially located. Fortunately, the carrier’s seat belt was in place and the engine was shut off and wheels were curved to the right thereby reducing the extent of injury sustained by my fellow carrier. Had he not followed the safety precautions as mandated by the post office, think about the possible scenarios that could have happened to him. Just thinking about it makes me cringe.
Well, just recently, another tragedy happened from a good friend and also a letter carrier. She hopped out of her vehicle to deliver a package when suddenly, an unexpected turn of event awaited her. A vicious dog whom she had not seen or met but was aware of its existence from the barks and growls he makes from inside of the house, was wandering loose in the homeowner’s premises while his masters were out on the porch sunbathing. I don’t know why the homeowners suddenly cut him loose when they themselves claim that the dog is unpredictable and can’t be trusted around people. Taking chances, perhaps? Dog is a dog and would do his job at what he is trained for. He saw my friend as an intruder and immediately engulfed her elbow with its pangs. Owner tried to pull the dog away from her but his mouth was planted securely on her elbow and wouldn’t let go until the dog had managed to spread the injury down to her poor working hand. She was petrified! Blood was flowing profusely from her elbow. Evidently, the dog’s teeth had penetrated deeply. Her hand sustaining the most injury turned purple.
As a routine procedure, she went to the hospital to get treatment. The dog is under observation and is quarantined for 10 days. My friend, still hurting on the 3rd day, was put on antibiotic for possible infection.
Now, are the owners liable for her? Of course, they are. Ferocious dog like that shouldn’t be permitted to wander off the street near humans. I just hope that the animal control would make sure that it is the first and last time this dog will harm someone.
Let’s learn from this incident so you know what to do when you come across a vicious dog. Some warning signs that the dog is about to attack are:
- Barking
- Growling
- Hair standing up on the back of the neck
- Tail is usually up and still
Also, when confronted by a dog in the posture of attack, do not stare directly into dog’s eyes. What has worked for me in the past was calmly talk to the dog to go home, go home, go home. Never turn your body away from the dog. The dog sees it as a vulnerability/opportunity for attack. Sometimes, the dog’s muzzle pressed hard against my front, growling and barking. Vicious and nasty! I stood still and I continued ordering him to go home, go home, and go home. The dog often listened surprisingly. And then I worked my way out of the fence gingerly, walking backwards facing the dog because if he senses you are running away from him, he will chase you like a bullet. You may be wondering why would I go inside the fence with dog putting my life in danger. There was no warning or sign on the gate to warn me of the presence of dog, and dog was usually somewhere hiding, and it was my job to give the best possible service to the customer. Sadly, sometimes, we learn it the hard way.
When the dog manages to knock you down, however, quickly roll into a ball, cover your face, throat, and stomach and stay still.
photo was lifted here
I have also learned to make myself go slow and languid when confronted with an aggressive dog. I also try not to vibrate fear. I think the dog senses that. When the human hangs loose and nonchalant, the dog loses interest.
Wow, Belle, I didnt know you were a letter carrier. Parang ang saya — with very little opportunity to get bored.
Great post your post about post men and the dangers they are confronted with daily. Kaya, take care, ha?
Tita belle,
Ako talaga noong saday pa ako, nakagat ako ng ayam na bagong ugbon. as usual bawang lang ang pigkahang sa kagat ng ayam. Kaya ngunyan may pobia na ako sa ayam. dakula palan ang ayam na yan. dapat ipanagamot ciya ng may ari ng aso. marami ka palang rakit dyan tita. bilib ako sau. dami mong work.
thanks Anna. yes, my job is not boring at all especially when i gaze at the beautiful scenery my route has to offer. take care my friend.
Ken, dindi pag kinagat ka ning ayaw, piga quarantine ang ayam for 10 days. the purpose of the 10 day quarantine is to determine whether or not the dog was transmitting the virus at the time of the bite. it does not mean the dog does not have rabies; it only means that the dog could not have transmitted the virus to the person bitten. kaya stay away from dogs lalo na diyan sa ato, dai navaccinize ang ayaw. katakot! kadakul bagang nagadan diyan sa Catanduanes kang igwa ning rabies epidemic, 8 to 10 years ago.