Richard Oberlin, 45, of Xenia is in good condition at Miami Valley Hospital according to Dayton police.
Oberlin, who works for the Beavercreek post office, was delivering mail on Ozark Avenue when the dog burst through a screen door. Dayton Police Sgt. Moises Perez said the man tried to use pepper spray on the animal, but it didn't have an effect. He was left to defend his face and suffered significant wounds as a result.
"He's got huge holes ... literally big puncture wounds to both hands," Perez said.
A neighbor intervened, and called a medic after the dog was scared away.
"I think that man would be dead today if not for that neighbor," Perez said.
Perez said the dog was not licensed and there was "no evidence that it had ever been treated for rabies."
"There was a lady sitting on the front porch that was caring for her son's dog," Perez said. She's ill, and she's not able to control this dog. It's much heavier than she is." The woman's son was out of town when the attack occurred. He is on his way home according to a family member.
Charges for having a vicious dog and failure to control an animal are expected. The dog was removed from the residence and will be quarantined for 10 days.
A U.S. Postal Service spokesman said Oberlin has been employed with the post office since 1998 and is very experienced. David Van Allen said carriers are issued pepper spray and trained on dog psychology.
"Dogs are basically defending their territory," Van Allen said.
Carriers are trained not to stare at dogs, back away slowly, and use their mail bags as a barrier. Van Allen said Oberlin did all of those things. Van Allen said Thursday's incident will not lead to a disruption in mail delivery in the neighborhood.
He said there have been 12 dog attacks on mail carriers in Dayton since October.
(Dayton Daily News - Sept 13, 2013)
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