Words by

grapevine

Postal workers are increasingly the victims of dog attacks, says an official from Iceland Post.
The cliché of the dog that bites the letter carrier is no laughing matter in Iceland. Vísir reports that earlier this week, a letter carrier in Suðurnes was bitten by dog at an apartment block. The bite drew blood, and police contacted the owners of the dog, although it is unknown what action was taken in the wake of the incident.
Brynjar Smári Rúnarsson, the marketing director for Iceland Post, says dog attacks on letter carriers are both common and on the rise.
“There are about five to ten serious incidents each year where dogs bite letter carriers, and they are constantly threatened with attacks,” he said. “This is an ever-increasing problem, as the dog population has gone up in the countryside.”
Dealing with the situation has involved Iceland Post talking to its letter carriers and dog owners alike.
“We want cooperation with dog owners,” Brynjar said. “We have also given classes to our letter carriers, where they are taught how to respond to such situations.”
While Brynjar emphasises that Iceland Post wants to get all the mail to its recipients at the right time, letter carriers are permitted to avoid approaching homes where dogs are loose outside.
At the same time, Iceland Post has encouraged dog owners to have their dog on a leash when outside, and kept away from the mail slot if inside.