1620 5th AvenueBuddy Siso, a mail carrier viciously attacked by a dog in late July, is telling his story to bring attention to what he says is a growing issue in San Diego.
Siso’s throat was mauled, his leg bitten and several of his teeth were knocked out after being attacked by an unleashed pit bull in mid-July.
“The dog had physically pushed his way through the gate and was virtually on me within a second,” said Siso. “That was the most horrific and terrifying second of my life.” The dog owner showed up and was able to remove the dog, but at that point, Siso had already sustained serious injuries and was bleeding profusely.
Siso was wearing his mailbag strap around his neck and his bag across his chest, a safety measure he learned in a dog bite prevention training last December. “That saved my life,” he said.
According to the United States Postal Service, dogs attacked nearly 5,900 mail carriers in 2012. In order to cut down on the dog attacks, Postmaster of Los Angeles Ken Snavely issued this statement, “If our letter carriers deem your loose dog a threat, you’ll be asked to pick up your mail at the post office until it is safe to deliver.
The USPS, along with its partners in the National Dog Bite Prevention Week, offers these tips to avoid dog bites:
Avoiding Dog Attacks
- If you believe a dog is about to attack you, try to place something between yourself and the dog, such as a backpack or a bicycle.
- If a dog knocks you down, curl into a ball and protect your face with your hands.
Our firm has experience with these types of incidents and can provide you with information about what to do after an animal attack. Please visit our site for more information on dog attacks, and contact our firm today at (619) 853-5101 for a free consultation if you or someone you love has been injured.
Did You Know?: Last year, San Diego had 32 dog attacks on postal workers, making them 7th in the nation for most dog attacks on mail carriers.
Bonnici Law Group, APC—San Diego dog bite lawyer
1620 5th Avenue