To the editor: Dogs have shown us their positive traits for eons, making human lives better in countless ways, one of which is companionship. As such, most canines feel protective of their guardian and their property. However, if that dog is unleashed in the front garden area or is known to be especially sensitive to visitors to that property and becomes aggressive, then problems might occur.
Such a situation can be regrettably experienced by postal workers, who are merely doing their assigned jobs of delivering mail (“Los Angeles tops nation in dog attacks on postal workers, again,” May 29). The fact that these attacks against service workers happen so often in L.A., more than in other cities, is totally unacceptable. Not only can an encounter with an aggressive dog result in injury to a postal worker, but it can also lead to the city having to pay a substantial monetary amount to the victim.
Some dog breeds, such as pitbulls and rottweilers, have reputations as being dangerous to vulnerable people, and many are to be found living in less affluent, often crime-ridden neighborhoods, which can be even more of a challenge for postal workers. It is essential that guardians/owners manage their dogs during delivery times lest such an unfortunate encounter happen. Thank you for reminding readers of this possibility.
Elaine Livesey-Fassel, Los Angeles
