We may have hoped that dogs only chased and bit letter carriers in movies, but sadly it happens in real life.
61-year-old Pamela Jane Rock, of Melrose, Florida, worked as a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier in her state. She was horrifyingly attacked by five dogs last Sunday. Rock was at Interlachen Lake Estates and was experiencing issues with her postal truck when it happened. The dogs were able to remove the rocks at the bottom of their fence, escape, and assaulted the woman, mauling her to death.
A neighbor heard her shouting for help and went outside to check to see what was happening. Residents and the owner of the pets tried to help by pulling the dogs off Rock. One person even fired a gun to frighten the dogs with the sound.
According to Kaydee Richley, Rock’s niece, Rock just recently finished her training with the U.S. Postal Service and was excited to start her new journey.
When the Putnam County Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene, they found her on the ground. They immediately performed first aid on the victim, who was bleeding profusely. The rescue unit arrived soon after and rushed her to the hospital. On the way, Rock went into cardiac arrest, but paramedics were able to revive her. She arrived at HCA Florida Putnam Hospital, and was transferred to a trauma center in Gainesville, Florida. Due to her injuries, the doctors amputated an arm in an attempt to save her, to no avail. She stopped breathing at around 7:30 p.m. the next day.
It was not the first time that the local animal control office received calls regarding these dogs. After the incident, the animals were taken into custody. They were said to be scheduled for euthanasia. The owner may be liable, but it is reported that the owner cooperated with the authorities. The sheriff’s office is still doing an investigation of the incident.
A statement from the U.S. Postal Service said that they are deeply saddened by the death of their employee. “Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and co-workers at this time.”