Postal workers witness a range of emotions every day, from the best to the worst. Unfortunately, one of the downsides is being on the receiving end of aggression from pets, particularly dogs. They have to be brave and keep going, even though they’re terrified. Sometimes these dogs cause accidents.
One of the dangers that postal workers face is attacks by dogs. In one tragic incident in Florida, a 61-year-old woman was killed after she was mauled by five dogs while on her route.
Pamela Jane Rock of Melrose, Florida was killed by five dogs after being attacked on a Sunday in northern Florida, according to sheriff officials’ statement. The postal worker’s vehicle allegedly broke down in the Interlachen Lake Estates area while she was on her route.
The dogs spotted her from across the street and started barking. They could sense that she was a stranger, and then she was attacked…
The moment the residents heard screaming, they tried to intervene in the scene. But when they arrived, they saw her on the floor being ravaged by animals. The residents of the community did everything they could to stop the attack, according to witnesses’ statements to authorities. Some even risked their own lives while trying to pull the dogs off her.
Putnam County Sheriff Chief Deputy Colonel Joseph Wells said at a news conference, “One of the neighbors even brought his firearm along and fired several shots into the air and to the ground in an attempt to disrupt the attack.”
When authorities arrived on the scene, Rock was already bleeding profusely. In addition, the dogs had been returned to their owner’s property. First responders gave the victim first aid and applied tourniquets to her wounds. They then took her to a nearby hospital. Rock was immediately flown to a trauma center in Gainesville when she arrived in critical condition.
Sadly, the wound was too much for her body to handle and she eventually passed away from her injuries on Monday evening.
According to Wells, prior to the postal worker’s attack, the dogs had escaped from their fenced-in yard. The owner was then aware of the situation and tried helping the victim by getting the dogs off her during the attack. But five dogs were overpowering them both.
Wells continued, “We are in frequent communications with the state attorney’s office as we explore options as far as possible for criminal cases as this case continues.” He added, “We have talked to those witnesses and we are working to confirm that these dogs are one and the same. We believe that there have been other calls for service regarding these dogs and we are reviewing these calls right now.”
Some of the worried neighbors told the police that the dogs often got loose and scared people in the neighborhood. The officers vowed to look into the situation.
The owner could have prevented the incident if they had kept the dogs secured on their property. It is a tragedy, no matter the reasoning behind the escape.
The dog’s owner turned the animals over to the police, and all five of them will soon be euthanized.
