‘I pulled my sock down and saw blood’: drivers for Amazon in US complain of dog attacks

Amazon considers its Flex drivers' independent contractors - meaning they're not promised worker's compensation after a bite

The app told her to deliver to the porch. Jennifer Anderson, a 43-year-old gig worker for Amazon Flex and a single mother, had brought packages to the house before - so she didn't think much of it when she saw two unsecured dogs: a heeler and a chihuahua, which was barking at her. Dogs are everywhere in eastern Idaho, and Anderson's own dog was a herding breed similar to the heeler. I've never had a fear of dogs my entire life," she says.

When she got to the doorstep, the chihuahua suddenly started biting her, but barely broke the skin. Anderson told the tiny dog to stop" and started walking to her car. That's when the heeler lunged, sinking his teeth into her ankle. Anderson screamed and managed to get back in her vehicle. The wound was bleeding badly. I was just shaking and completely shocked," she says. The owner came out but didn't seem overly apologetic. I know I need to get a collar for him," he told her casually, but my last dog was way worse."