Dogs attack mail carrier, leaving lacerations and puncture wounds

UPDATE 3/4/22 @ 11:15 p.m.

PUTNAM COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) – The dirt road that makes up Riffee Ridge doesn’t see much traffic, but the mail carrier makes rounds each day -- with Thursday being a terrifying one for a woman walking the route.

Putnam County Sheriff’s Lt. Shane Shamblin responded to the call. He said the mail carrier was walking back to her car near a home along the road when two dogs attacked her around 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

“From initial indication, she went to the porch and dropped the mail off. This is her natural route,” Shamblin said.

He was on his way to respond when he said a few neighbors stopped the situation from getting worse.

“One of the neighbors stated that when he got up there it appeared that the dogs were actually trying to drag her off,” Shamblin said. “She had major lacerations to her face, her arms and chest -- with multiple puncture wounds.”

As emergency crews were trying to get the mail carrier to the hospital, Shamblin said the dog would not stop.

“One of the dogs continued to charge at us at that point that dog was terminated,” he said.

Deputies say animal control shot the other dog with two tranquilizer darts.

“Those were not effective. It continued to run around and act aggressive, and that dog was terminated, as well,” Shamblin said.

He explained that the dogs were not known to act aggressively in the past.

“We don’t have any paper trail of the dogs having a history, and it seemed like it was abnormal behavior for them,” Shamblin said. “We will follow up with animal control and get the results back to make sure the dogs were healthy.”

Deputies say the incident is still under investigation.

The mail carrier is in stable condition, according to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.

ORIGINAL STORY

PUTNAM COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Two dogs have been put down following an incident where a postal worker was seriously injured, according to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.

The incident was reported around 1:30 p.m. Thursday in Riffee Ridge in Putnam County.

According to Chief Deputy Eric Hayzlett with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the postal worker has significant injuries following the encounter.

Further information has not been released.

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