Can the USPS refuse to deliver due to dogs?

Answer 1

Yes we can. Postal regulations require that a letter carrier not attempt delivery of the mail to any address where an urestrained dog is present. If the dog is roaming loose on a street the carrier can refuse delivery to the entire street. Penalty for a first time offense is a letter of warning explaining that if a second offense occurs you will be required to erect a curbside box in order to continue delivery. If a third offense occurs you will no longer be able to have home delivery of your mail and you must get a Post Office box if you wish to receive mail.

Dog bites are a serious problem for letter carriers and if a carrier is bitten it is not uncommon for the homeowner to be sued for any medical expenses and punitive damages. While most dog owners claim their dog does not bite, I personally have been bitten by two dogs whose owners made that exact statement. It's also important to note that one of the most common dangers involves a family member opening the front door when we attempt to deliver a parcel or item that requires a signature and then having the dog run past the person opening the door. Many people think they would be able to keep their dogs from getting past them but a great deal are not able to due to how fast things happen. Better to be safe for everyone involved and avoid any legal woes that can cost you a pretty penny.

People that go out of there way to keep letter carriers safe are much appreciated by us. Remember, it's not just whether or not your dog will bite...there should also be concern for whether or not the letter carrier is comfortable. We know you're comfortable because it's your dog but if the letter carrier feels any kind of fear then it is respectful to recognize that and not put them through the experience of wondering whether or not the dog will be aggressive. You never know how many times your letter carrier has been bitten and how many times they've almost been bitten. Having been bitten twice by "dogs that don't bite" it's insulting to me when I explain my situation to a customer and they still insist that THEIR dog will not bite me. In essence the customer is telling me the odds are favorable that the dog will not bite. Put yourself in our shoes and ask yourself if "favorable odds" are what you want when dealing with a potential dog bite. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.