Dog conflicts involving Nanaimo letter carriers have doubled year-to-date in 2020, thanks to more people staying at home amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

DOG CONFLICTS

Nanaimo mail carriers dealing with significant rise in dog attacks

Aug 6, 2020 | 5:34 AM

NANAIMO — The COVID-19 pandemic is being blamed for a spike in dog attacks on local mail carriers.

Through Aug. 5, Canada Post carriers in Nanaimo had recorded 21 dog conflicts in 2020, almost double the number over the same period in 2019.

Kevin Shires, Nanaimo superintendent for Canada Post, told NanaimoNewsNOW more people are at home than usual and allowing their dogs more access outside, leading to an increase in incidents with letter carriers.

“Anything that’s related to a dog that comes out after a carrier, whether it’s a bite or attack,” Shires said. “Basically if our carrier has to protect themselves from getting bit.”

The most recent event involved a carrier suffering a severe dog bite on Thursday, July 30, in the Departure Bay area from a german shephard.

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In many cases, carriers enter the front yard to deliver mail and are attacked by a dog coming around a home’s corner.

“Usually if they see the dog out, they won’t deliver…it’s that simple,” Shires said. “What we’ve seen so far, the incidents have occurred when the carrier doesn’t see the dog.”

Mail carrier and CUPW 786 acting president Allison Little said dogs have long been an issue in Nanaimo to varying degrees.

“There have been times Canada Post has had to close down the whole street because of people’s dogs,” Little said. “Some people are very accommodating and other’s are not, they’re very abusive to Canada Post when it comes to dealing with dog issues”

Little said she’s encountered aggressive dogs many times during her career, including situations where the owners say the dog is friendly.

She said letter carriers are in a difficult position when it comes to their health and safety if mailboxes are located inside fenced front yards.

“You don’t know how dogs are going to react and as a carrier you’re always cautious, you always look for toys in the yard, seeing signs of a dog. You don’t want to open a gate without knowing there’s a dog in there.”

Canada Post offers mail carriers education on how to deal with dog incidents, including seminars with local animal control officials.

The organization also works with problem dog owners to find mail delivery solutions including moving the mailbox to a more accessible location.

The increase in dog incidents has been compounded by a substantial jump in mail volume during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Canada Post said carriers in Nanaimo delivered more mail in June 2020 than at Christmas the year prior.

alex.rawnsley@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley