By the time he heard the dog’s owner yell out, it was too late. U.S.
Postal Service carrier Sebastian Torres Jr. was bit in the leg and bloodied despite following safety protocols, when the dog lunged at him from behind. “It all happened so fast, and we always have to be careful out there,” said Torres, a mail carrier for 36 years.
“We always have to be vigilant, from the time we leave the post office to the time we get to our designated route.” Torres recounted his experience with a dog attack and several close calls at a press conference hosted by USPS on Wednesday, June 5, in Encino. This is National Dog Bite Awareness week sponsored by USPS, and the agency is working to educate pet owners to restrain their canines.
The campaign’s theme is, “Don’t let your dog bite the hand that serves you.” Nationwide, more than 5,800 postal employees were attacked by dogs in 2023, according to USPS data, and Los Angeles tops the list of canine encounters gone wrong nationwide, with 65 reported in 2023 . In Encino alone, 34 dog attacks were reported over the last five years.
“A lot of customers ended up getting dogs during the pandemic,” said Esi Efseaff, a postmaster and dog safety specialist for USPS. “And they might not always be prepared for these situations, so it’s all about educating the public.” Some steps used by postal workers include scanning their surroundings for dog toys, alerting pets of their presence by rattling fences so they aren’t startled.