These mailmen are armed for dog

By Matthew Lysiak
The Brooklyn Paper

This is National Dog Bite Prevention Week, the seven days of the year when the United States Postal Service tries to educate Americans on how to keep their dogs on a shorter leash.

But our local mailmen aren’t waiting to see results. After years of looking like a letter-toting piece of meat to area canines, mail carriers have finally fought back.

They’re now armed with pepper spray.

The arms race began last year, when a mail carrier in Bay Ridge became a living cliché after getting bit in the rear pouch by a German Shepherd.

“He went to drop-off the mail and the dog just took a bite out of him,” said a postal source. “He had to go directly to the emergency room.”

The mailman has chosen to remain anonymous (we’ll call him Junk Mail), and like most things in the United States Postal Service, many details must remain shrouded in secrecy. But we do know the route: a dangerous stretch on 88th Street between Colonial and Ridge avenues.

Junk Mail’s description of the beast conjured up images of Cujo.

“It was a big dog — the kind of dog that is a dangerous weapon,” said Junk Mail. “This kind of dog is on the attack when it sees people.”

It certainly wasn’t the first time a dog took a bite out of a local mail carrier. Nationwide, there have been more than 3,000 reported case of dog-bites-mailman, according to government stats.

In an effort to go into the belly of the beast, Yellow Hooker embedded himself with one Bay Ridge postal worker as he navigated the dangerous mail receptacles (often within fenced-in yards where dogs roam). As in so many combat pursuits, the key to survival was an awareness of your environment, explained Postal worker Tyrone Johnson.

“A lot of times your vision is impaired by obstructions such as fences or even doors,” said Johnson. “If you can’t see the dog coming, you need to listen.”

Johnson, who has been delivering mail for more than two years, says that people wouldn’t believe the risks letter carriers face, especially when putting the mail through the door slots while anxious dogs lay in wait. He asks for owners to throw him a bone.

“The owners need to get these dogs under control before something serious happens,” said Johnson. “At least three mailmen have been seriously bit within the last two years around here.”

Johnson says he carries Mace, but luckily, has never had to use it.

“I have been nipped a few times, but nothing real serious, yet.”

Man’s best friend is rarely to blame, according to Richard Gentles, the director of administrative services at the Brooklyn Animal Care Center.

“Just use common sense,” said Gentles. “Most people don’t know how to approach a dog, and then they get bit.”

A spokeswoman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals agreed that owners need to act more responsibly, but says that the spray is downright inhuman.

“Using Mace or pepper spray is extremely dangerous and cruel,” said Beth Daphne. “They shouldn’t ever use it when there are more humane ways to keep them safe.”

Daphne says that she saw someone get pepper-sprayed once and it wasn’t pretty, and believes that instead of weapons, mail carriers should be better trained to deal with their historic arch-enemies.

“I think postal employees should be trained to better understand a dog’s body language,” Daphne said. “Most dogs aren’t looking to bite people; they are just defending their territory.”

She also would like to sweeten the pot a little bit with a small bribe.

“Spraying dogs could just make them angrier,” Daphne said. “I would advise the carriers drop the Mace, and instead arm themselves with dog treats.”

Johnson rejected that Neville Chamberlain-style appeasement.

“Some carriers give snacks, but I don’t think it is right,” Johnson said. “If the dog is used to getting treats and God forbid you run out, you are in big trouble.”

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