Published: December 29, 2008 09:15 am      

Charges filed after dog bites mail carrier

W’burg police: Dog quarantined, tested for rabies; likely to be destroyed

By Sean Bailey / Staff Writer

A Williamsburg man faces charges after his dog bit a mail carrier on Wednesday morning.

Jeffry Allen Walker, of North Third Street in Williamsburg, was charged with harboring a vicious animal after his dog, which he described as a black labrador, broke loose from its leash and attacked mail carrier Angie Eldridte.

“I was walking over here and the dog was on a chain, but it (the chain) wasn’t chained to the porch. And (the dog) came running off the porch dragging the chain,” Eldridte said.

The dog bit Eldridte on the arm through two shirts and a jacket. The incident occurred around 10:15 a.m. She was treated on the scene by Whitley County EMS.

Eldridte said she’s never been bitten during her time as a mail carrier, but she’s been cornered and chased by animals before. Eldridte and other mail carriers carry pepper spray with them as protection. Eldridte said she used the pepper spray on Wednesday before Williamsburg Police made it to the scene.

Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird said the dog would be quarantined by animal control to make sure it doesn’t have rabies. Afterwards it will likely be destroyed.

In addition to harboring a vicious animal, Walker was also charged with not having the dog vaccinated against rabies, and not having the dog licensed. Chief Bird said Walker claimed a family member had the dog’s “papers” and if he brought those papers to court the two charges would be dropped.

Chief Bird says his department gets dog bite complaints often, but this is the first time he knows of a mail carrier getting bitten.

“We get dog complaints all over the city. This is the first time we’ve had a mail carrier bitten by a dog,” Bird said. “Several years ago we had a city employee bit by a dog, of course it was not the same dog.”