West Sunbury postmaster to receive award for stopping dog attack
Some heroes don’t wear capes, they wear satchels.
West Sunbury postmaster Tony Kriley and Mount Oliver letter carrier Jamie Stevens are being recognized as two such heroes after rescuing a customer from a dog attack in March. On Thursday, June 12, they are set to receive the United States Postal Service’s Postmaster General Hero Award for their actions.
Kriley and Stevens were in Mount Oliver around 12:45 p.m. on March 6 when they heard cries for help. They found Mount Oliver resident Janet Taylor being attacked by a dog, they both jumped in to help stop the attack.
“I’ve been doing this for 12 years, and I’ve had my fair share of close calls,” Kriley said. “I wasn’t even carrying mail, we were just at the right place at the right time.”
Kriley said he and Stevens’ training, along with dog repellent, were able to help the duo stop the attack. Postal service employees are trained on how to avoid and manage dog attacks.
“You can be prepared 100% but you never actually know how a dog attack is going to happen,” Kriley said.
Kriley said he is honored to be receiving the award, but wants to recognize those who save lives everyday, like first responders.
“They’re out there risking their lives every day,” Kriley said. “I’m just a normal guy.”
After the award, Cythia Bahneman, a local K-9 trainer, will provide a demonstration of a dog attack along with tips for delivering mail to homes with dogs along carriers’ routes.
The event coincides with the Postal Service’s month-long National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign. According to a release, dog attacks on postal employees rose to more than 6,000 cases last year.
“The best way to keep safe from dog attacks is to recognize and promote the responsibility of pet ownership — such as teaching your dog appropriate behavior and commands, and not allowing your dog to roam freely,” Leeann Theriault, USPS employee safety and health awareness manager, said. “All dogs — regardless of breed, size or age — have the potential to bite.”
According to data accompanying the release, Pennsylvania ranked sixth in states with the most dog bites in 2024, with a total of 316 incidents. Pittsburgh is tied for 19th in cities with the most dog bites in 2024, with a total of 17 incidents.
“Dog bite attacks on postal employees are preventable,” Theriault said. “The most important message for our customers to remember during the 2025 USPS National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign is keep your dog secured and away from the carrier as the mail is being delivered. Help ensure the safety of everyone in our communities.”
The theme for this year’s campaign is “Secure Your Dog, Keep Deliveries on Track.” The service’s release advises ways that dog owners can help carriers avoid being attacked. Securing a dog before the carrier approaches will minimize potentially dangerous interactions, the release said.
The service advises keeping dogs in separate rooms or away from the door when a carrier is delivering. If going outside, it advises closing the door and ensuring it is secured so the dog cannot slip out or bust through. For those outside with their dogs, it advises leashing or otherwise securing the dog away from the carrier.
The award ceremony and subsequent demonstration will be hosted at 8 a.m. on Thursday, June 12, at the Mount Oliver post office on 140 Brownsville Road, Pittsburgh.
