MASON, Mich. — Dogs assaulting postal employees is not simply a comedy stereotype. In reality, Michigan ranked No. 8 in the nation for postal employee dog bite attacks in 2022, according to U.S. Postal Service. That is greater than Michigan ranked the previous year at No. 10, and Detroit landed the No. 10 area for the majority of dog attacks for cities in the United States in 2015.
Ingham County isn’t complete stranger to dog bites either. According to Ingham County Animal Control Sgt. Adam Meisling, in 2022, animal control officers reacted to simply under 600 animal bites calls, and in 2023, the county is on par to break 600 attacks.
“Typically, how it works is we will receive a fax notice from necessary press reporters, that being immediate cares, or ER’s, or healthcare facilities that sort of thing. Then we get a call to our dispatcher who then writes the call and the animal control officers head out and react,” said Meisling.
The county likewise has particular regulations to help keep locals safe.
“Another thing that we discover as animal control officers exists’s significant connection in between dog-at-large infractions and dog bites. So if you see dogs running at-large in your location, it’s really useful for you to call us for the dog-at-large infraction. Because, if we establish a history with a particular dog, it can help us take more progressive steps,” said Meisling.
A dog-at-large describes a dog not under control of it’s owners. Meaning any dog off leash, wandering the streets or merely that the animal will not listen to the owner and is responding adversely towards another individual or animal.
“When we go out for a dog bite, we make contact for the victim initially, we record any injuries that they suffered, anything that broke skin that required medical treatment, we determine where they went to forward that details to the health department. Once we end up taking their declaration, figure out if they desire the do quarantined, or if they do not desire our participation, we will go speak to the dog owners, who then offer us their side of the story,” Meisling said.
The dog is then put under a 10-day quarantine where animal control will keep an eye on the dog’s habits and look for any indication of rabies. However, no dog has actually displayed indications of rabies because Meisling was born. All Michiganders are needed by state law to have current rabies’ shots for their animals.
“If the victim picks, we can pursue criminal charges. It is a misdemeanor offense for your dog to bite someone in Ingham County. It’s under our Ingham County Animal Control Ordinance,” Meisling said.
Ingham County Animal Control does not have any precise fact on dogs biting postal employees.
“It’s a hard metric for us to track, simply on basic initial checking out it. It takes place, however we do not have a particular number. I understand that I have actually personally reacted to many over the last 3 years,” he said.
However, dog bites in the county can be an every day event.
“It’s certainly sort of a stunning report for sure, however everyday here in Ingham County on any providing day, and if it’s including simply a routine resident or a postal employee, it’s not actually the leading edge of my mind I simply sort of reacting to the calls I get and attempting to help the victim in anyhow I can,” Meisling said.
Caring Animal Hospital in Holt offers resources and classes to animal owners so they can prevent dog bites.
“Dogs speak to their body. Many indication are offered prior to they bite,” the medical facility said in a declaration.
Residents can prevent dog bites by taking detours, if they recognize with roaming dogs or dogs at-large in the location, and be on the keep an eye out for beware of dogs indications.
Signs such as a bristled tail, nose and forehead wrinkled and lips curled with their teeth and gums revealing can be a sign of a dog possibly assaulting.
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