Postal workers reported the most dog bites in these Massachusetts communities
SPRINGFIELD - Mail carriers reported 116 dog bites in Massachusetts last year, and one city saw more canine incidents than others.
Postal workers in Springfield said they were bitten by dogs five times in 2023, the most in the state. Woburn was second with four cases of dogs biting letter carriers, and Beverly, Milton, Shrewsbury and Webster each had three dog bites.
Twenty cities and towns had two bites and another 55 communities each had one, according to USPS data.
Cases of dogs attacking mail carriers on the rise nationwide
Nationwide, the number of dog attacks on postal workers rose to more than 5,800. Los Angeles was the city with the most most mail carrier dog bites with 65.
The Postal Service publicized the numbers ahead of a "National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign" in June.
"Letter carriers are exposed to potential hazards every day, none more prevalent than a canine encounter," USPS employee safety manager Leann Theriault said in a statement. "All it takes is one interaction for a letter carrier to possibly suffer an injury."
The post office says the average insurance claim for a dog bite runs nearly $65,000, and pet owners can be held responsible if their dog goes after a carrier. Mail service to a home can be stopped if a carrier feels unsafe, and residents would have to pick up their mail at the post office.
USPS message to dog owners
How can dog owners keep their letter carriers safe? The Postal Service shared some tips as part of their awareness campaign.
If you know the mail comes at a certain time every day, the post office says that's a good time to make sure dogs are inside the house or behind a fence, away from the door, or on a leash. Pet owners are also encouraged to not let kids take mail directly from a carrier, because a dog could interpret that as a threat to the child.
"Even though a customer's dog is friendly to most people, it can always have a bad day," USPS carrier Tara Snyder said in a statement. "I know, from experience, even when a dog is in the house, customers need to make sure their door is secure so their dog can't push it open and bite the letter carrier."