USPS spokesman, David Van Allen, says they were ready to demonstrate how carriers protect themselves, but the trained dog they were going to use met a skunk the night before and got sprayed...leading to the event's cancellation.
Demo dog or not, Van Allen says carriers have their ways.
“We do train our postal carriers to use their letter bag that they carry as a shield to put in front of them, and put in a dog’s face," says Van Allen. "And they also carry pepper spray which is non-lethal, but will put a pretty good burn in the eyes and nose in a dog, or a person, for that matter.”
Cleveland ranks third nationally for dog attacks against postal carriers, behind Houston, Texas, and Los Angeles.
Van Allen says people don’t secure their dogs well enough, or assume that if it’s friendly with them, they’re friendly with everyone.
As for pooches stunk by skunks, there are ways to help remove the stench.
Veterinarian Jeff Peacock of Strongsville offers his favorite cure.
“You take one bottle of hydrogen peroxide, half a cup of baking soda, and one tablespoon of Dawn Dish Soap. Mix all the ingredients together, and apply to the area that’s been sprayed, and let it sit for ten minutes.”
Dog bites are in the headlines. A viral video from California shows a dog biting a young boy in his driveway, only to be chased away by the family cat.