Bit by a German Shepard

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
I'm with Tooner. You need to call a lawyer and get some money. Donate it to charity, as someone says.

This will make those people reeeeeeeal careful next time.

Next time it could be a child.

Maybe you'd prevent that with one call to a lawyer.
 

ImpactedTSG

Well-Known Member
hazard of the job my ass.no dog has the right to bite me.call a lawyer,donate the money to their church!!!
You are going onto someones property. The dog did not come into your yard to seek you out. If the dog was either chained or fenced on the owner's property, then it is not their fault. But what do I know? I only went out on road during peak three times. :wink:
 

DS

Fenderbender
impactedTSG I have a question for you.
If you could have your job back but as a top rate full time driver,would you do it?A little off topic I know ...but
I`m curious...
 

satellitedriver

Moderator
Report the incident.Make sure of the dogs vaccination is up to date.
If the people honestly do not have their dog for "protection", let it slide and chalk it up to experience. Asking for money because of pain and suffering just goes against my moral code.
I have been in a dozen fights with dogs and bitten three times. Each time the owners were shocked and took precautions for it not to happen again. If the owners do not take responsibility for their animals, I do not deliver the package.
As I tell people on my route, "If I don't feed them, I don't trust them."
 

ImpactedTSG

Well-Known Member
impactedTSG I have a question for you.
If you could have your job back but as a top rate full time driver,would you do it?A little off topic I know ...but
I`m curious...
No way. I was more loyal to being a tech than to UPS so I left to stay in the tech field. I could have gone into the hub, or BD, (possibly), but I enjoy technology and the challenges it brings. On a side note about being a driver, I am in decent shape and the days I went on road I was exhausted. I have a lot of respect for the guys and gals that can do that everyday for 20 to 30 years. :thumbup1:
 
Just an update: I never went after any compensation. My bruise has healed but there are a couple of scars. We now leave their packages in a bag, behind a bush at the end of their driveway (per customer request).
 

mittam

Well-Known Member
You are going onto someones property. The dog did not come into your yard to seek you out. If the dog was either chained or fenced on the owner's property, then it is not their fault. But what do I know? I only went out on road during peak three times. :wink:

You are going onto someones property? Is that to say trespassing? Don't forget you were invited by them ordering a package to be delivered to their property! I was attacked and bit by a Chow in defense I knocked a couple teeth out with my diad board, the woman started yelling at me that she was calling the police saying I was trespassing. I promptly gave her my center managers phone #. Well she called him complaining and wanted me to pay the vet bill. He asked if she had home owners ins and let her know that he personally would investigate. He also told her she was lucky the dog wasn't put down in the process, that he would have if it would have been him. I called a little later and told him what happened, his response was he would defend my actions regardless of what the woman says, I was invited there and she was neglegent in her actions. Long story short, dog put down and she has new high risk home owners ins.
 

abbear

Active Member
Trespassing is only when you are on property without business there and the property is posted as such and is fenced (those with acreage that deal with this issue feel free to correct me). As a mailman, delivery driver, meter reader, etc., you are not trespassing. Additionally, the owner of an animal is responsible for the control of that animal at all times. If the property owner puts up a 'Beware of Dog' sign to warn me I respect that sign and will not enter their property. I will try to find an place I can safely leave the pkg, otherwise I will have the clerk postcard it. I also have notes in the diad indentifying addresses with bad dogs.

In the county I deliver in (Marin in N. Cal.) you can be fined up to $5000 for NOT reporting a dog bite to the authorities.
 

toonertoo

Most Awesome Dog
Staff member
Just a side note, I was told putting up a beware of dog sign, which warns you, also can incriminate the owner, saying they KNOW they have a problem animal. The one I got bit by and the owner said it had never bitten before, had 3 signs on the front of his house. Unfortunately I ran into the mutt in the street.
 

Harry Manback

Robot Extraordinaire
I always carry a copious amount of "cookies" dog biscuits with me. If that doesnt distract them long enough, i go to plan b: negative reinforcement. This consists of a 4 D-cell Mag-lite, planted squarely betwixt the eyes of the attacking party. This usually results in the perp running for dear life at the sound of the car turning on to the street and hiding in the bushes until the big, bad UPS man is gone. Just make sure you look over your left shoulder when pulling from the curb so that the Gestapo (LP) or a member your management team who may be observing you to ensure that you use 3 pts of contact won't send you a warning letter. Sorry for the lack of punctuation. I kinda like run-on sentences.
 

HazMatMan

Well-Known Member
The first and most important thing to do is to get a tetanus shot.Its up to you if you want to pursue the issue further.
If the people that own the dog were honestly apologetic
about it and promise to control thier dogs in the future,you
could just mark it up as a lesson learned.On the other hand
if they are dickheads,you could involve the police and thier
family pet will likely be put to sleep,and you could recieve
monitary compensation for your pain and suffering.

Apologetic people or dikheads?? Are they related to you or just people on the route?? Call a good lawyer is what I would do. Lawyer say's "well, we can get you such and such amount for your dog bite law suit" what are you going to tell him? "well these people were very apologetic for the actions of the dog, i'll turn the money down" please, do your self a favor CALL A LAWYER!!
 
Top