A postal carrier, Pamela Jane Rock, aged 61, passed away after being attacked by five dogs in rural northern Florida last weekend, according to sheriff’s officials.
Rock, a postal worker from Melrose, found herself in the Interlachen Lake Estates area on Sunday following a breakdown of her vehicle, as reported by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.
Residents heard Rock scream for help and discovered her on the ground being attacked by five dogs, witnesses informed the Sheriff’s Office. The dogs’ owners and several neighbors intervened to pull the dogs off Rock.
Chief Deputy Colonel Joseph Wells of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office mentioned at a news conference on Tuesday that one neighbor even brought his firearm and fired shots into the air and ground in an attempt to stop the attack.
[adinserter name="Six"]Despite efforts, the attempt was unsuccessful, and it took physical intervention from neighbors and owners to remove the dogs from Rock, Wells stated. When deputies arrived, the dogs had returned to their owner’s property, and Rock was found on the ground, bleeding severely.
[adinserter name="Seven"]Deputies provided first aid and applied tourniquets until rescue units arrived. Rock was initially taken to a nearby hospital and later airlifted to a trauma center in Gainesville in critical condition. Unfortunately, she succumbed to her injuries on Monday evening.
According to data released by the US Postal Service in June, over 5,400 postal employees were attacked by dogs in the United States in 2021. Florida ranked among the top 10 states for dog bites, with 201 incidents reported last year.
Wells emphasized that the investigation into the incident is ongoing and very active, with frequent communication with the state attorney’s office.
Initial investigations revealed that the dogs escaped from a fenced yard after moving rocks lining the fence, Wells mentioned.
[adinserter name="Eight"]Following the attack, animal control workers took custody of the five dogs involved, identified by witnesses. The owner surrendered custody of the dogs, who will be humanely euthanized, as per the sheriff’s office.
Wells stated that the sheriff’s office and animal control have responded to the neighborhood several times for animal-related calls, although it’s unclear if the calls involved the same dogs.
Neighbors informed CNN affiliate News4JAX that the dogs had been a nuisance for a while, often seen hopping the fence or emerging from underneath it.
[adinserter name="One"]Sheriff H.D. DeLoach of Putnam County expressed condolences to the victim’s family and stressed the importance of dog owners ensuring their animals are securely contained for everyone’s safety.
The USPS advises keeping dogs indoors, behind fences, away from doors, or on leashes during postal deliveries. Additionally, it suggests that children avoid taking mail directly from postal carriers to prevent dogs from perceiving them as a threat.
