Photo by Howard Owens
A mail carrier whose route includes South Main Street in Batavia is "the hero of our office right now," said a local manager of the Post Office in Batavia.
The name of the carrier has not yet been released by the U.S. Postal Service, but the manager said this isn't the first time the carrier has stepped up in an emergency. This winter, she called 9-1-1 after a man on her route stuck his hand in a running snowblower.
At about 2:45 p.m., the carrier was outside 152 South Main St., Batavia, when she heard a woman inside screaming, according to a witness. The carrier entered the house where a pitbull mix was attacking a home health care aide and its owner. The carrier deployed her pepper spray and stopped the attack.
A female occupant of the house was not injured.
The dog was secured in a bedroom of the residence, and 9-1-1 was called.
Both the health care worker and the male occupant of the home were seriously injured, but Sgt. Mitch Cowen, Batavia PD, said the injuries are not considered life-threatening. One patient was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital for treatment, and the other to Erie County Medical Center.
The dog, Steve, was removed from the home by animal control officers while being restrained by poles and taken to the Genesee County Animal Shelter.
Cowen said the fate of the dog depends on the outcome of a police investigation. They will check records to determine if there have been prior reports of the dog acting in a vicious manner. Officers will also conduct interviews to determine if the dog has exhibited vicious behavior previously.
An area resident who passes the house frequently said he's often heard a dog inside barking.
Nearby neighbors said they've seen the dog outside but have never seen it act in a vicious manner. They said they've seen other visitors to the house, including health aide workers, and they weren't aware of any issue with the dog on prior visits.
