Postal Worker Airlifted to Hospital After Being ‘Seriously Injured’ in Dog Attack While on the Job By Escher Walcott

A postal worker was seriously injured in a dog attack while delivering mail in South Carolina.

The postal worker was attacked as they approached a residence to deliver mail on Oct. 11, the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) said in a news release shared on Facebook.

“The dog or dogs attacked the employee, resulting in multiple injuries,” the NCSO said. “Emergency medical services responded to the scene, and the worker was medevaced to a trauma center, where they are currently receiving treatment.”

The Newberry County Emergency Medical Services, Newberry County Rescue Squad, and Newberry City Fire Department provided medical care at the scene, per the news release.

The identity and condition of the postal worker have not been disclosed at this time.

Sheriff Lee Foster confirmed in a statement obtained by PEOPLE that as of Oct. 18, the victim remains in the hospital.

“The victim is still in an area hospital receiving treatment for wounds caused by a pit bull dog,” Foster said. “The suspected dog is in the custody of animal control. There have been no charges filed as of yet and it is being investigated. The dogs were on the owner’s property. The postal worker was delivering a package. ”

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The postal worker was allegedly attacked by a black and white pitbull, according to an incident report obtained by Cleveland 19 News. The worker attempted to get back inside their vehicle as the dog followed them and continued to attack.

The Newberry Police Department responded to the scene and sprayed the dog, stopping the attack before the victim was flown to the hospital, per Cleveland 19 News.

Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster told the outlet that the postal worker “had injuries to her upper body and to her lower body.”

The dog had allegedly been wearing an electronic fence collar to prevent it from escaping its residence. Following the attack, the canine was sent to an animal shelter for quarantine.

“Any situation like that, the homeowner is responsible for the animals, but I don’t know right now if it’s going to be any type of criminal responsibility. We are exploring that,” Foster told Cleveland 19 News.

The NCSO said in their news release that dog attacks have become “a significant hazard for postal workers,” stating, “USPS urges all pet owners to take necessary precautions to ensure pets are properly secured, especially during delivery hours.”

This incident is being investigated by the NCSO, Newberry City Police Department, Newberry County Animal Car and Control and the United States Postal Service.  

PEOPLE has reached out to the Newberry County Animal Control for comment.