A Kitimat postal worker is recovering from bites she received after she was attacked by a dog on Thursday.
The worker, who was instructed by Canada Post to not talk to the media pending an investigation, was attacked in the small trailer park on Columbia Avenue while on her rounds delivering mail.
Canada Post media relations officer Hayley Magermans confirmed that the postal worker had been attacked, but declined to divulge any further information.
“As this involves an employee, we cannot provide further details of the incident. The safety and security of our employees, and the mail is of utmost importance to us. We will meet with the dog owner about the incident,” said Magermans.
She said dogs that aren’t restrained or kept behind secure fences are a serious problem for Canada Post employees.
“Every year, Canada Post employees experience between 500 and 600 dog attacks. A dog bite not only results in a physical injury; it can also cause psychological trauma,” said Magermans.
“We ask pet owners to be responsible and keep their dogs inside or restrained when letter carriers are delivering mail and parcels so they can do so on time and as safely as possible.”
Humane Society shelter manager Maryann Ouellet said while the dog inflicted substantial puncture wounds, the postal worker was fortunate the dog retreated immediately after the attack.
“She was very lucky all he did was bite her. The owner immediately took the dog inside and shut the door,” said Ouellet, adding that Canada Post might take legal action against the dog owner.
She said this wasn’t the first time she had received reports that the dog had bitten someone, but as the victims hadn’t come forward to report the incidents to the Humane Society, there wasn’t much the Humane Society could do.
“Normally we bring the dog in and get the victim to give us a visual confirmation that that was the dog that attacked them,” said Ouellet.
“We will keep the dog at the Humane Society and perform a temperament assessment. Our job is to decide whether or not the dog can be returned to the owner,” said Ouellet. “However, if we don’t feel the owner is going to be responsible we won’t return the dog.”
She said in the case of the dog that attacked the postal worker the Humane Society would most likely be applying to the court for a destruction order. The dog’s owner surrendered the dog to the Humane Society for an assessment but refused to sign the dog over to them.
“If the owner was a responsible person we would most likely hand the dog back. However, we can’t safely rehome this dog and will be seeking a destruction order,” said Ouellet, adding that this was the absolute last resort.
In most cases, the dog is taken away from the owner and rehoused in another environment.
She said the dog involved in the attack was most likely being perimeter protective, a natural impulse for dogs.
“The dog thinks he is doing a good job,” said Ouellet.
She said the onus is on dog owners to ensure their pets are kept in a safe enclosure while they’re at home and off-leash.
Away from the home Ouellet encouraged owners to keep their dogs on a leash at all times and to use muzzles.
“Even in off-leash areas like Dike Road dog owners need to be with their dogs at all times. Just because it’s off-leash it doesn’t mean they can just let them run free,” said Ouellet.
District of Kitimat chief administrative officer Warren Waycheshen said the district takes a dim view of owners who don’t control their animals.
“It’s important that dog owners keep their animals secure at all times for everyone’s safety. Animals that are not spayed or neutered also create other problems,” said Waycheshen.
“The District will not hesitate to issue fines, which start at $30 and can run up to $500 or more if the animal is not spayed or neutered, doesn’t have a microchip or has been designated dangerous.”
Fines the District can impose include a $300 fine for the impoundment of a dangerous animal, a $100 fine for animals not spayed or neutered and $25 for an animal that doesn’t have a microchip.